“Don’t forget, patience is a virtue!” If I’ve said these words once, I’ve said them a thousand times. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have patience mastered. As a matter of fact, most of the times I’ve uttered these words, it was under my breath, speaking to myself! I have a couple of friends who seem to have the patience of Job and I simply admire that quality while striving to grow in my own endurance!
This Psalm intrigues me as it doesn’t speak directly of the patience of God’s faithful servants but the tone of the psalmist as he cries out to God acts as a mirror to my heart. I’m suddenly thrown back into memories of times in my life that I have felt burdened, distraught, and overwhelmed. Nothing seemed to balance out or be within my control. I tried to remind myself of God’s sovereignty and be patient as I waited for his deliverance, but it was hard. The memories of those feelings of frustration and uncertainty warring against the understanding of who God is come flooding back. Now I’m able to see how God redeemed those situations for His glory and rejoice! He didn’t show me mercy in my preferred timeline. It definitely required my patience and trust, but He has always been faithful!
I pray that we can take the posture of the psalmist as we lift our eyes to God, understanding His power and love for us. When our hearts are struggling and our fuses are running short, let us remember that God is enthroned in heaven. Our hope comes from Him alone. Let us be patient as we wait for Him to have mercy upon us. Let us remain faithful to Him, bringing glory to His name with our words and actions, even as we ourselves feel downtrodden and overwhelmed. Let us look for ways He is redeeming the tough situations we find ourselves in and seek patience as we know He has a plan. Let us be encouraged by the words of Paul from Philippians 4:4-6, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
VC Devotionals 