Patience Of The Lord

 

The Lord convicted me today. 

I scrolled through Facebook as I sat at my desk eating lunch today. I began to lament the caricature that Facebook tends to be of human existence, including and especially things pertaining to religion and faith. I thought to myself as I have so many times before, “I’m so done with this.” And the Lord communicated in that moment, that it is a good thing He’s never been like that with me. 

So many times I’ve said, “I’m done with this world…I’m done with the way this person thinks…the way this person acts….the way this or that thing is…I’m done with this.”  But the Lord isn’t. Not yet. And that is a good thing for all of us. His patience with us is a good thing, and today the Lord reminded me that our patience with each other is a good thing, too. 

I’ll be flat out honest with you, there are people who get on my last nerve. There are things happening in this world that make me just want to throw up my hands and jump on the next train to heaven. But that is more of a testament to the work the Lord needs to do in me, rather than anything else. Oswald Chambers said that God uses us from His perspective, not ours and that when we say, “Lord, this causes me such heartache,” we become a stumbling block. 

He goes on to say, “When I stop telling God what I want, He can freely work His will in me without any hindrance. He can crush me, exalt me, or do anything else He chooses. He simply asks me to have absolute faith in Him and His goodness.”

(Is 48:9) For the sake of My name I will delay My wrath; for the sake of My praise I will restrain it, so that you will not be cut off.

(Rom 2:3,4) So when you, O man, pass judgment on others, yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

(2 Pet 3:9,15) The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance…Consider also that our Lord’s patience brings salvation…