PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE..

I think I have finally begun to understand the validity in this proverb. Patience. I’ve always heard preachers and those “full of wisdom” say, “Never pray for patience, because you’ll get it”. I’ve spent much of my prayer time with my soul in debate with my mind over to pray, or not to pray for that eight letter word that seems to carry so much weight. How can one word cause so much turmoil? If patience is such a vice to our character, why do we run from all that it holds. I think it is because we have been misguided, misinformed to the beauty of patience. The beauty of its virtuous gain. I believe that as humans, especially Americans, instant gratification has defined our lives for so long. We never have to wait for anything. Ask and you shall receive has been taken quite literally. Though my flesh lust after this behavior, my heart aches at all the wonderful things we miss out on by forsaking the wait. Recently, God has been moving in some pretty grandeur ways in my life. Words from Him I’ve been longing to hear, places I’ve been longing for Him to send me, are starting to be fulfilled. There were times when I would cry out and beg for movement. There were times when I didn’t understand and couldn’t comprehend why He didn’t seem to have any interest in my life. Looking back now, I see that it wasn’t merely movement He was doing in my life, it was much bigger. It was a complete rebirthing of my existence. During those periods of waiting, He was preparing me. He was molding me and shaping me as clay in the Potters hands. As I look back over journals I see His hands carving out each beautiful facet of my life. I see places where He built character in me. I see places where He saved me when I didn’t even realize I needed saving. I can see His fingerprints stained in the canvas of my stories. A work of art that delicately formed, my friends, is priceless. It is in these moments when I can sing in my patience. It’s in these moments when my heart is at peace with the patience He has mercifully given to me. We are His masterpiece. The Sistine chapel wasn’t built overnight. It was done thriftily, flawlessly, with detailed precision, and most of all with love. For the artist knew just what His creation was worth. Out of patience, magnificence was birthed and history forever changed. Now as I ponder that old proverb, I know the triumph of patience is not the virtue, but what it manifest’ in between. Tonight I’ll welcome patience and admire the beauty that unfolds.