Phrases that come to mind about patience are 'Never pray for patience,' and 'Lord, give me patience but please hurry.' We joke about how we do not want to wait. We say things like, 'Oh, I could never do that, I don't have the patience.' But, what we are really doing is excusing our sin. Immediate gratification has become an idol unto us. We are greedy for it. It has made it near impossible to just be still...to just be. For instance, we rarely walk and bike, we drive cars in the fast lane and through the fast food drive thru. We are no longer tethered to our wall by our telephones...we now carry them with us wherever we go. We don't miss a call with call waiting. Even those old, stationary, bulky, box shaped computers are portable. We have text messages, instant messages, myspace, blogs, chats and e-mail. We have express check-in and 10 items or less express checkout and let's not forget next day delivery and '30 minutes or it's free.' We aren't ashamed to say, "I don't have the patience for this." We feel entitled to fume when we have to wait in line. We have forgotten that patience IS a fruit of the Spirit...the Spirit that dwells within us.
I am reminded of these song lyrics by Alabama:
I'm in a hurry to get things done
Oh I rush and rush until life's no fun
All I really gotta do is live and die
But I'm in a hurry and don't know why
Don't know why I have to drive so fast
My car has nothing to prove
It's not new
But it'll do zero to sixty in five point two
I'm in a hurry to get things done
Oh I rush and rush until life's no fun
All I really gotta do is live and die
But I'm in a hurry and don't know why
Can't be late, I leave in plenty of time
Shakin' hands with the clockI can't stop
I'm on a roll and I'm ready to rock
I'm in a hurry to get things done
Oh I rush and rush until life's no fun
All I really gotta do is live and die
But I'm in a hurry and don't know why
Oh, I hear a voiceThat says I'm running behind
Better pick up my pace
It's a race and there ain't no room for someone in second place
I'm in a hurry to get things done
Oh I rush and rush until life's no fun
All I really gotta do is live and die
But I'm in a hurry and don't know why
The next time you wait in line, I encourage you to look around at the people. Say a prayer for someone you see. Think about the day...where your loved ones are...pray for them. Pray for our country and its direction. Remember that God chooses our leadership...He places men in power and beg Him to have mercy on who that person is. Pray for the men and women fighting for our freedom...as you stand in line waiting for your fluffy coffee drink or more toilet paper, someone is giving their life or limb for your freedom to do so. Pray for the children in your church, pray for the marriages in your church...the sanctity of marriage and family is attacked in our culture and no one is exempt. And as you get caught up in praying, you may just find that someone behind you impatiently will say, 'Excuse me, it's your turn!' ...you'll apologize. Dare to say, 'Sorry, I was praying.'
6 comments:
I am in agreement of the 'time' issues we have. Since I have been retired it has been a slow process of slowing down and enjoying the moments. I still am in question of the remark that patience comes with age. I was once in a 3rd world county that knew no efficiency and I become one with the waiting in every place I went. Where has it gone? I see road rage in people when they race to a red light and pray for then knowing that it used to be me. All I can do is pray to be calm and know the Holy Spirit is in charge and will keep me in the LORDS rest so I do His biding and not my own. God is Holy and I reach out to be more like Him. His Alone
OK - so now I am totally convicted!! THANKS - I keep saying "I just want this year to hurry and get over with" I think that there is alot God wants to do in this year and if I am not careful, I am going to MISS it! What a sad shame that would be. I will take you up on your little challenge to stop being so impatient. I want to bask in what God has in store for me and my family and not be in such a hurry that I miss it.
Thanks for being so faithful and posting - I love reading your take on the devotions.
I agree with Pinky!! First about how guilty I am with being in such a hurry and missing so much and then about how much I appreciate reading your thoughts on Streams. You do such an excellent job in applying it to daily life. I,too, am accepting the challenge of slowing down and specifically praying for different groups as I am waiting rather than grumbling about how slow something is going. Keep us in line!!!!!
Love ya,
Mimi
Mind you, I can only write these words becuase I can relate so well to them...anyone who knows me can vouche that patience is not my strong skill...in fact, I believe Pinky has put a 20 min restriction on me in some cases ...wink...
suffice to say that I am spontaneous...the worst kind of impatience...the kind that does without thinking!
Thanks so much, M. Pinky, when I found out about my cancer, I thought to myself, here goes another year of my life, wasted. (I had just had a really hard year with a friend's sin and felt kind of cheated out of that time by her.) I figured I would close my eyes and get through it as quickly as possible, which I'm a master of! Then I was listening to Christian radio and I don't remember what was said, but I had one of those "aha" moments and realized something really simple-- This is my life. Last year wasn't wasted and this year won't be either. Somewhere around that time M's MIL told me she wouldn't trade her cancer for anything. Between those things, God showed me that none of it was wasted or needed to get overwith so I could move on. This is moving on. He's teaching me to embrace the challenge and assume purpose in everything. Trust. Something I should have already been doing, but sometimes wasn't. I know you already know this, but just thought I would share. :)
Thanks for sharing J - I am beginning to change my feelings on this year as well. As I begin to think more about it - not so sure i want it to hurry and be done. There has already been such beauty come from it and each and every day is another beautiful gift from God. I love all that God has been teaching me and showing me - I have never felt so close to Him and I long for closer still.
God is so sweet and good and He only brings good to us - even though at first it might seem bad.
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