Patience: Part Seis

It's January 1, 2017.

For some that means waiting on bonus checks to be cut, a cost-of-living raise, and for some; it means looking for new and potentially better opportunities. For most, patience will be an important component, no matter the situation or circumstances.

I hope and pray that the holiday season was filled with joy, laughter, friends and family, and "Peace on earth, Good will to men", as Linus so correctly ends his soliloquy to Charlie Brown and the others at the Christmas play, saying, "Charlie Brown, that's what Christmas is all about." How I love the classic cartoons and old movies such as, "It's a Wonderful Life", this time of year.

But the year has come and gone; it is "in the books", as they say.

Two verses come to mind with respect to patience in all things new; one from David in Psalms, and the other from Paul in Romans 8, my favorite chapter in the Bible:

"Be still before the Lord
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes", David in Psalms 37:7

and,

Paul says:

"But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."

I want to focus on two parts this morning, and on two pieces of each verse.

First; in Psalm 37:7, "and wait patiently for Him;"

Patience is absolutely required if we are to have faith in God's plans, and in God's timing.  Flip back to Patience:  Part Cinco, and you will find the verse mentioned from Galatians 6:9 where Paul states, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." While praying daily and even throughout the day as we see fit, David cautions that we must, "wait patiently for Him."

Like most of you probably have, I have set some goals that I will give a valiant effort to achieve in 2017. The coming year will have many blessings, and will have many struggles as we patiently wait for Him. While I am focusing on the principle of patience, should we not also have faith in the things and desires on our heart and minds that we present to the Lord?

Even as important as praying is the listening part. As part of the degree that I earned in my undergraduate work in psychology, I had two classes in counseling. We were tasked with the job of listening to others. Hearing their pleas, hearing there problems, and perhaps offering some advice as to what they should think about and analyze; in an attempt to decipher what may make sense of those issues or problems. Not easy, but achievable.

I am reminded of my late grandfather who many times used the word "hope." I can fondly remember the many times that I shared my goals and dreams with my grandfather what I was "hoping for." I am reminded also; however, what Paul says in his letter to the Thessalonians, saying, "Pray without ceasing - Ye are dependent on God for every good; without him ye can do nothing; feel that dependence at all times, and ye will always be in the spirit of prayer, and those who feel this spirit will, as frequently as possible, be found in the exercise of prayer."

What I am trying to express, is that hoping for the things we do not have; and a desire for them, is in no way wrong. It is more important to exercise your "prayer muscle"; in faith, knowing that God wants good things for us in our lives. God requires us to "step out in faith." In the King James Version, Matthew recites as Jesus said to him, "And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief:  for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of [a] mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it will remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you."

Hardly an easy concept to grasp.

Strong believers in Christ should know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus wants good things for us. We must be patient. In prayer, in the process, and in patience for the answer in His time. The "faith muscle" also requires a willingness to stretch. Like the exercises we perform at the gym, the muscle must be torn down, and then given time to rebuild to a greater state; a bigger and stronger muscle.

For that to happen, we must realize that God doesn't give us small goals. Our God is a "Big God." He aims to stretch us beyond our comfort zone and to heights that we have a disbelief that we can achieve. Add to that, prayer, listening, and a "Bigger Faith" is required of us.

What we need to realize, is that we will be greatly rewarded for our efforts. God will stretch us beyond what we believe and think is achievable, so he can set the bar a little higher out of our reach, to stretch us once again in the realization of His glory for Him; and us.

The reality is, we must be ready and willing to accept the challenges set before us. In doing so; in patience and with love and affection in the process, will allow us to reach unimaginable dreams that we thought were impossible.