Patience is a Virtue...blah blah blah!

One very exciting thing in my life right now is that I have a new nephew on the way! His name is Granger Douglas Young, and he is going to be adorable! I'm sure since he must have some of my genes in there.

The only problem is it seems that this child REFUSES to make his entrance into this world. About a month ago, my sister started having contractions. She has been in pre-labor, or early labor since then. Last week, she actually thought she was in labor. I mean show-on-the-road, full-speed-ahead, in the hospital. NO. Granger decided to wait.

My poor sister told me she felt as though the song, "While I'm Waiting" was written for her!

This has been a huge test in patience for my family and for my sister especially. I mean, my poor sister is huge. She is 4' 11", so this baby takes up her entire body. She can't even get in her truck! Needless to say, she is ready for this baby, now. Immediately.

Last night I was praying for Granger to come, his health and that of my sister, and just His blessing over my nephew's life. And I wondered, what is God showing me through this time. What is He trying to show my family?

Patience was my answer. Ugh.

Now, I think that there are two types of patience:

1. Immediate: this is the kind that keeps us from snapping at people when they are running late, banging on the steering wheel in 610 traffic at 7:55 AM, or short-tipping the waitress at a restaurant when our food is late.

2. Long term: This is the patience that I am now learning. Actually, another translation in the Bible for patience is LONG SUFFERING. This is a patience that we must have with God and with our lives sometimes. This is the "While I'm Waiting" song.

I remember my mother telling me, "Patience is a virtue!" My immediately reply, "That is just a virtue that I don't have!"

I also remember people telling me NEVER to pray for patience, because God creates patience by forcing us to have it. Circumstances in your life will arise that force you to display patience. Now, I'm sure these people didn't mean it in this way, but I definitely was not about to jump aboard the "Pray for Patience Train." Well, until recently anyway.

One of my New Year's resolutions was to be more patient. It may be hard to believe, but I like things done, and I like them done immediately. I'm a bit anxious at times. Needless to say, God created circumstances in my life that required me to have patience, and i do believe I am much more patient than I once was.

But I mean that in the immediate sense...
This is different. So many times we want to see God's plan now. We see doors crack open just a little to reveal something God is doing, kind of like a baby in early labor. But then, it seems that the door won't open any further!

Our natural reaction of course is to grab the door knob and fling the door open! After all, we live in a world where ambition and immediacy are praised and patience is seen as a weakness. We MUST remember that there is a reason for the season we are in. There is a reason my nephew needs to incubate just a little longer.

I was recently told in a Single Life discipleship series that "God's now is vital to our later." What God is doing now with whatever you are waiting on, is VITAL to your later.

O my people, what have I done to make you turn from me? Tell me why your patience is exhausted! Answer me! - Micah 6:3

What is it you are waiting on? A baby? A mission trip? A college acceptance? A relationship? A promotion? A new house? A move? Take a second and think about it.

(Insert Jeopardy music here)

OK got it?

Great. If you can't see what God is doing right now to prepare you or the situation, trust Him. He knows your desires.

God tends to think pretty highly of patience.

Patience is a fruit of the spirit:

But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness - Galatians 5:22

If we let the Holy Spirit control our lives, this the fruit we will show.

Patience is a description for love:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. - 1 Cor 13:4

In fact, it's the FIRST description of Love. And God is Love. Therefore, God is patient, too.

I could go on and on about the commands that God gives telling His people to be patient. Proverbs says it's better to be patient than a warrior in Prov 16. Romans 12:12 tells us to be patient in affliction.

God makes it pretty clear in the Bible that patience is a requirement to follow him.

This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus. - Rev 14:12

Patient endurance. This is not easy. This in not only the control to keep from honking our horn on 610. This is not for the weak. Let's never fall into the trap the world sets for us that says that patience is for the weak. Trust me. It's much easier to blast a door open. Patience takes self control. (Kind of like in CORE class where slower crunches hurt worse than quick crunches)

But there is a promise! Hebrews 6:12 tells us that if we are patient and faithful, we will inherent God's promises!

Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God's promises because of their faith and patience.

Challenge:
So take heed in Hebrews 12...

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

...and run with patience. What does that mean? It's a marathon guys. Pace yourselves, and run with patience. Faithfully wait on the Lord, and you will inherit His promises! - Including my adorable nephew...eventually...