05 Sep Profitable Patience
Profitable Patience
As Lila and I wait on the Lord’s timing regarding our move to work for FamilyLife in Little Rock, AR this devotional from Boyd Bailey really hit home-I thought I would share it with you-possibly it applies in your life today as well! Blessings to you, Steve
“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:14
Life is normally lived waiting. We wait in lines. A teenager waits for his or her next birthday. We wait for job promotions. We wait for news from the doctor. We wait for the next meal. We wait for our future spouse. We wait for a lawsuit to settle. We wait for a meeting to conclude. We wait for those who have yet to keep their commitment. Every time we turn around we have an opportunity to wait.
Why wait? Most of the time we should wait because that’s what is best for all parties involved. A vegetable gardener is a prisoner to waiting. However, this is seen as an asset not a liability. A tomato is much taster when it is red, large and juicy rather than green, small and hard. The smart gardener will wait for the vegetables to ripen, though He will nurture the soil along the way and keep out the weeds.
There is a waiting cycle that must be completed before there is worthwhile fruit. Even when your waiting is a result of another’s incompetence, you have an opportunity to grow. This holding pattern can facilitate your creativity and resourcefulness. If you did not have to wait, you may have been satisfied with how things have always been done. Now you have the opportunity to think differently.
Could there be other people or resources that can contribute to your project or plan? Because of your current inconvenience you may meet a new friend who has much more to offer than the status quo. Their experience and ideas may be the missing link you have waited for all this time. So, when things do not go as planned, see it as an opportunity to improve the plan.
Indeed, the very thing may be to provide help to another instead of being consumed with your own deal. Waiting is a lesson in loving others in spite of themselves, and it even provides valued assistance during this parenthesis in your own life. Most importantly, however, is learning how to wait for the Lord.
What a valuable asset we have to wait upon. The Lord God Almighty is worth waiting for. It is worth waiting for His joy, because it comes to uplift us when we are sad in heart. His joy brings a smile to our face. It is worth waiting for His peace that calms our soul when we are worried in mind. His peace allows us to sleep at night. It is worth waiting for His wisdom that provides discernment in our conflicting options.
His wisdom sets our feet on the right path. It is worth waiting for His strength that propels us through our adversity. His strength gives us confidence and perseverance for life’s journey. It is worth waiting for His hope that uplifts us from our despair and depression. His hope keeps the focus on our eternal reward in heaven. He is worth the wait.
People camp out to wait and see a rock star or pay big bucks to wait and meet the president. So, waiting on God should be a cinch. Waiting is fundamentally patience with God. After all, He is running the show. He knows what is going on. He knows what is best for you. He knows. He knows. He knows. You can trust Him in your waiting. Use this sabbatical-like time to get to know your heavenly Father more intimately.
Use this time to love your family and others more than any other time in your life. Allow Him to mold your character in a way that will cause others to comment to themselves that you are different. You are different because you have been with Jesus. Waiting is not just a passage to God’s blessing. It is God’s blessing. Wait for the Lord. He is worth the wait!
Taken from the Dose 15 reading in Boyd Bailey’s Infusion. This 90-day devotional book is a compilation of the reader’s favorites from Wisdom Hunters daily devotional. Andy Stanley says, “I have walked with Boyd for over 20 years and I am definitely wiser for it. You are going to love this book!”