You can’t rush God. I’ve tried.
Patience is not one of my virtues. Most people don’t like to wait but some are more impatient than others. I run with that crowd.
As much as I don’t like waiting I have come to embrace it, knowing that in those times when we feel like we are in a holding pattern, we are actually gaining something invaluable – STRENGTH.
My husband works out on a regular basis doing WEIGHT training – and sometimes he drags me along. I don’t like it, but I do it because I know that I will gain strength from it. If I choose the weight myself I usually go for the lighter, easier option. When my husband comes along he always makes me increase the amount I am lifting. He explained to me that unless I am pushing my muscles beyond their normal limitation I will not be accomplishing anything but conditioning. If I want to build muscle (strength) I have to push myself and increase the weight to a somewhat uncomfortable amount. This causes the muscle fibers to actually tear. But what happens after that is amazing. After the workout the muscles fibers heal and it is a scientific fact that they come back bigger and stronger!
There are times in my life when the WAIT training I have had to endure seemed endless and beyond my normal limitation. When all I felt was torn down and ripped apart it was hard to imagine that I would ever feel strong again. That is where patience and endurance come into play. The word of God tells us that if we are patient and endure we will receive all that we have been promised. It seems that patience is a requirement of the waiting period. In my experience, I have never been granted deliverance from a waiting period until I have learned to patiently endure.
Of course there are times in life when we have to fight for a breakthrough but more often than not I have had to wait for the breakthrough. Knowing that my heart was being strengthened in the process was a comfort.
Do you find yourself in a holding pattern? Be brave and wait patiently for the God to reveal all that He has planned for you. And in the meantime take courage that you are getting stronger every minute!
April 25, 2013 at 8:36 am
Great analogy Tracey. Thanks for sharing and especially doing so with a sense of humor. I was blessed with patience and I can tell you it doesn’t make the wait any easier. I still go through a phase that it takes to get to the awareness of what is happening so that patience can kick in. I hope that I am not the only one that doesn’t catch on right away. Once I remember that God has a perfect plan I am fine with the waiting and the lessons to be learned in the waiting.
April 25, 2013 at 10:40 am
Kathy, it is really interesting to hear from someone to who patience comes easily and learn that it’s still hard! So we really are all in this together. I love your point about the lessons in waiting. So true!!
Thanks for sharing!
April 25, 2013 at 10:34 am
This is where I am with God learning to be patient !! It is not that easy since I like to fix things myself, but he has been helping me with this and it is such a peaceful feeling to have him take up my burdens. Thank you for this message. It is just another sign from God for me that i must have patience and Faith!! Thanks
April 25, 2013 at 10:38 am
Yes, Stephanie! I am a do it myself kinda girl as well. It is crazy that we have to learn to rest but that has been a major lesson to me recently. How assuring to know He fights on our behalf. Like you said there is peace when we can learn to depend on that.
Thanks for sharing.
April 25, 2013 at 4:07 pm
What a great word! Thank you Tracey.
April 25, 2013 at 5:22 pm
Glad you enjoyed Stacia! Haven’t seen you in ages. Hope all is well!