Patience
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, PATIENCE, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23
For I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you. Acts 18:10
For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end - it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. Habakkuk2:3
Patience, it's a tricky, tricky little thing. It is needed in every season of life. Working with youth you see them looking for the ones that God will put into their lives forever. The boy that's going to be the perfect husband that completes every thing you could ever need and never cause you a moment of distress. The BFF that you can tell any and everything to in true confidence and it never be used against you. The young married wanting those babies to bring their marriage closer together and complete their family unit and perfect their Christmas cards. If you haven't rolled your eyes yet, we probably aren't going to be good friends. I mean you are welcome here, but it may not work out.
And then us grown ups... waiting for your career to finally get to the point where you are secure and can breathe a little. To have enough money in the bank to do that thing. For your kids to get older so you have more time to do whatever it is you do. Looking at the clock and/or calendar counting down the time until your children come back home because you miss them. Then, please Jesus, will he ever sleep so that I no longer look like the walking dead? Looking at all the people and waiting for your marriage/faith/kids/house/Instagram feed to look like that. Or waiting in the wings of that diagnosis. Trying to breakdown the walls that fear has put up around you.
At this point in my life I'm not having to practice a ton of patience. Oh I've been there. BEEN THERE! I mean I am in a season but not about big stuff. Perhaps I'm just too tired to worry. That's not the worst thing in the world, right?! ha! But even still, the Lord is showering me with reminders. Probably because, if I'm honest (or as my youth kids say "TBH". Every time I want to respond with "to be honest, thank you for being honest because it would make me crae if you weren't!), I am rushing through this season of life as fast as it will pass. I know everyone says "you will miss this" well maybe so. But right now I love very little about it. I do not love: sleepless nights, toddler tantrums, 3rd grade homework, finding a meal every night that my whole house will eat, messy bedrooms, sticky floors, stepping on toys/shoes/crumbs every time I walk through the house, wet towels on the floor, all this laundry and yelling at at least one somebody every time we need to get in the car. So I think Jesus hears me say "be near" and He is.
I spend Wednesday mornings in a bible study of ladies who have children my age and older. I love their perspective, wisdom and encouragement. We talked last week about the second verse above. Luke confuses me about the end. I do believe the enemy is constantly after us and sometimes it does harm. Earthly harm. A lot of harm. But the bigger point is the beginning. For I am with you. (He should have stopped there in my opinion. But when the Lord gives a vision, especially to Paul, it's worthy of being written down in it's entirety. Amen?) That is really all that matters. If we truly believe that the rest is irrelevant. Does the world, or this week or this season seem dreadful more days than not? Yes. Is this a blip in time in light of eternity? Yes. Does that make it any easier? Honestly, not every moment of every day. Because when I'm running on 3 hours of sleep and one has cried over homework while another is asking me for their 15th snack and the toddler is sitting feet first in the toilet, all I can sing is "Even so come. Lord Jesus, come." But then he sends me joy. In the form of a Wednesday "seasoned ladies" bible study, or a trip to Target alone, or silliness from my husband at the dinner table. Or leading me to the book of Habakkuk to remind me that He really is the only one that can truly fill every void we have. Patience is hard, but he is with us.
For I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you. Acts 18:10
For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end - it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. Habakkuk2:3
Patience, it's a tricky, tricky little thing. It is needed in every season of life. Working with youth you see them looking for the ones that God will put into their lives forever. The boy that's going to be the perfect husband that completes every thing you could ever need and never cause you a moment of distress. The BFF that you can tell any and everything to in true confidence and it never be used against you. The young married wanting those babies to bring their marriage closer together and complete their family unit and perfect their Christmas cards. If you haven't rolled your eyes yet, we probably aren't going to be good friends. I mean you are welcome here, but it may not work out.
And then us grown ups... waiting for your career to finally get to the point where you are secure and can breathe a little. To have enough money in the bank to do that thing. For your kids to get older so you have more time to do whatever it is you do. Looking at the clock and/or calendar counting down the time until your children come back home because you miss them. Then, please Jesus, will he ever sleep so that I no longer look like the walking dead? Looking at all the people and waiting for your marriage/faith/kids/house/Instagram feed to look like that. Or waiting in the wings of that diagnosis. Trying to breakdown the walls that fear has put up around you.
At this point in my life I'm not having to practice a ton of patience. Oh I've been there. BEEN THERE! I mean I am in a season but not about big stuff. Perhaps I'm just too tired to worry. That's not the worst thing in the world, right?! ha! But even still, the Lord is showering me with reminders. Probably because, if I'm honest (or as my youth kids say "TBH". Every time I want to respond with "to be honest, thank you for being honest because it would make me crae if you weren't!), I am rushing through this season of life as fast as it will pass. I know everyone says "you will miss this" well maybe so. But right now I love very little about it. I do not love: sleepless nights, toddler tantrums, 3rd grade homework, finding a meal every night that my whole house will eat, messy bedrooms, sticky floors, stepping on toys/shoes/crumbs every time I walk through the house, wet towels on the floor, all this laundry and yelling at at least one somebody every time we need to get in the car. So I think Jesus hears me say "be near" and He is.
I spend Wednesday mornings in a bible study of ladies who have children my age and older. I love their perspective, wisdom and encouragement. We talked last week about the second verse above. Luke confuses me about the end. I do believe the enemy is constantly after us and sometimes it does harm. Earthly harm. A lot of harm. But the bigger point is the beginning. For I am with you. (He should have stopped there in my opinion. But when the Lord gives a vision, especially to Paul, it's worthy of being written down in it's entirety. Amen?) That is really all that matters. If we truly believe that the rest is irrelevant. Does the world, or this week or this season seem dreadful more days than not? Yes. Is this a blip in time in light of eternity? Yes. Does that make it any easier? Honestly, not every moment of every day. Because when I'm running on 3 hours of sleep and one has cried over homework while another is asking me for their 15th snack and the toddler is sitting feet first in the toilet, all I can sing is "Even so come. Lord Jesus, come." But then he sends me joy. In the form of a Wednesday "seasoned ladies" bible study, or a trip to Target alone, or silliness from my husband at the dinner table. Or leading me to the book of Habakkuk to remind me that He really is the only one that can truly fill every void we have. Patience is hard, but he is with us.
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