Learning Patience

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” James 1:2-4 (NKJV)

I don’t know anyone who enjoys the process of learning patience. It doesn’t seem to matter whether you are a child or an adult, learning patience is a slow, tedious, and uncomfortable process. These days, we have become so used to “instant” everything that even ”normal” amounts of patience seem to have become a lost art. Our lives move at warp speed and we have no time to wait for anything.

A couple of years ago, we inherited my father-in-law’s newer computer. Our previous computer was many years old, extremely slow, and temperamental. That computer was a daily lesson in how to wait, and I really struggled with it. For someone who came to computers fairly late in life, I now spend the greater portion of my days on the computer. My computer at work is pretty fast, so when I came home to our old computer, I would fuss at how long it took to do even the simplest of tasks. I would like to say that patience was perfected in me through this experience, but anyone who knows me well would be laughing.

Historically speaking, I have always tried to do everything fast: I worked fast, I walked fast, I ate fast, and I made decisions fast–slow was never part of my vocabulary. I was like the license plate I saw many years ago on a Ford Mustang, “No Go Slo.” It has only been within the past several years that, as a result of a challenge with rheumatoid arthritis, I have had to slow down, and it hasn’t been an easy lesson for me to learn.

Learning patience is never fun. It is true there are some who come by patience more easily, but unfortunately, I wasn’t one of them. I have empirical evidence of God’s sense of humor when I look back over the experiences of my life. Considering how many times I have had to learn and re-learn the same lessons on patience, one could think that the issue of patience is important to God. Sometimes I have passed the “test,” and sometimes I haven’t. And for those times when I didn’t “pass,” that same test kept popping up in my life. There’s a saying which always makes me smile: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”

The issue of patience in our lives is ultimately one of trust and faith; faith that God will work all things out for our good. The challenge is always to keep from trying to solve these issues in our own strength. The more we try to “fix” things, the more messed up our lives become, and the longer God waits to remedy the situation.

We have a saying in our family about the process of waiting for God to work: “It seems like God thinks He has all the time in the world! Doesn’t He know we need this fixed right now?” (Said with a smile, of course.) In a recent conversation with my daughter, we were talking about this process of waiting and how often it feels like God has us dangling over the edge of a great abyss until the last possible moment, at which time He rides in to the rescue. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like that sense of “dangling” while God works. This lets me know conclusively I am not in control of the situation or the outcome.

The process of learning patience and trust in God would probably be easier if we could actually see how God was working in the background; the pieces of the puzzle He was pulling together so our problem would be resolved. We have to trust that He loves us enough to be concerned about these issues and have faith He is working on our behalf. And, we have to bring these requests to Him which requires the understanding that we need His help.

Because God knows the end from the beginning, He knows what we don’t: how this problem or trial is important to the maturing of our faith. I always looked at problems as just another nuisance to get past until I can get on with “real life;” or at least that’s how I have looked at them in the past. Like some cosmic list, I check off each one as it’s resolved so I can move on to the next one. Unfortunately, there never seems to be an end to my “problem list.” I have missed many of the simple joys of life because I have been focused on my list of problems (think Martha, not Mary in Luke 10:38-42).

It is only the grace of God which works His patience in us as we learn to quietly wait. It doesn’t matter what we are waiting for, the process of patience and learning to trust in God are cornerstones of our faith walk. Just as in Aesop’s Fable of the “Tortoise And The Hare,” it will be “slow and steady” that gets the job done. There is no quick and easy way to learn these lessons of patience, trust, and faith. Just as the tortoise slowly and methodically made his way towards the goal, by God’s grace we too can “cross the finish line” on this one.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:7-8 (NKJV)

Copyright © 2013 by Susan E. Johnson
All rights reserved

A Proverbs 31 Woman

“Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life.” Proverbs 30: 10-12

It could be said that Proverbs 31 is considered God’s “gold standard” for virtuous womanhood. Most women I know feel this is an impossible goal to reach. I do not believe that Proverbs 31 is so much about what a woman must “do” as it is about what a woman can “be.”  The woman depicted here is not a “shrinking violet” or a “doormat.” This is a woman who walks confidently and boldly in the gifts that God has given her and, as for her husband, she “does him good and not evil all the days of her life” (Proverbs 31:12). This is a woman who exhibits excellence in what she does, thereby blessing her husband and children in great measure. “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness. She watches over the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ‘Many daughters have done well, but you excel them all.‘ “(Proverbs 31:26-29). This is a woman who has the confidence of her husband and has his blessing as she develops all of her God-given talents and abilities.

You might guess that I am a proponent of strong, competent, and capable women.  These women are resilient; they face life’s many challenges with faith, courage, and strength of character. The women who, with their pioneering husbands, settled our country and expanded its borders, are a perfect example of what I mean. They worked tirelessly along side of their husbands, building a place for their families, and helped to birth our nation. These women were no “hot-house flowers.”

My daughter, Hannah, comes from a long line of competent, capable, and intelligent women: a paternal great-grandmother with a Masters in Education (she wasn’t allowed to get a Masters in Mathematics, her first choice, because it wasn’t considered to be a “woman’s field” at that time); twin paternal great-aunts with Ph.D.’s in English and Literature; a maternal great-grandmother who went to the mission field as a young single woman, not marrying until her mid-thirties; and a maternal grandmother who finished her college education over a ten-year period with three small children, graduating as valedictorian of her class. With the exception of the twin great-aunts who remained single until they died at 104 years of age, the others had strong marriages of long duration and the full support of their husbands. Each one of these women loved the LORD and served Him with their whole heart. This is an incredible spiritual heritage and a testament to what a godly marriage can and should be and speaks highly of their husband’s character as well.

The Beatitudes tell us in Matthew 5:5, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” For me, until recently, meekness has always been equal to “weakness.”  It seems that much of the American church also equates meekness with pacifism. The best example of meekness I have ever heard is that of a horse who is completely “rein trained.”  This horse is so well-trained, and in tune with his rider, that he is waiting for the slightest pressure of the reins on his neck to tell him which direction he is to go. This is true meekness: strength under complete control. This is how God desires to lead us by the Holy Spirit.

By this definition, a “Proverbs 31 woman” should be a “meek” woman. She walks obediently in the ways of her God, fulfilling His call on her life. She does not fear the future because she knows that God is her Protector and her Guide.  She is confident that her contribution is necessary, and is ready and willing to meet the needs of others.  Her heart is generous, and when she speaks, wisdom is evident. She fears the LORD and ministers life to those she meets. She passes down to the next generation a spiritual heritage; her legacy will be evident in the lives of all those that she has touched.

This was eloquently stated in 1852 by Edward Mansfield in “Woman:”

“There is a beautiful parallelism between the condition of woman in her domestic life, and the character of a nation. She is the mother of men, and the former of their minds, at that early age when every word distils upon the heart, like the dew-drop upon the tender grass. There is to that young mind no truth or falsehood in the world but that whose words flow from the mother’s lips. There is no beauty in character, nor glory in action, which has not been concentrated by her praise. There is to that climbing child no path where the mother’s feet has not trod. Her mind is to his the supernatural pillar of fire which illumines his mid-night ignorance, and the silvery cloud which at mid-day precedes him in every highway to the world.

And, even when science has conducted her pupil through the highest walls of knowledge; or when art has polished him into the accomplished citizen; or when power has dignified him with the memorials of office, she still lives in his soul, which she has imbued from her heart’s ‘pictured urn, With thoughts that breathe, and words that burn.”

Many women tend to think their professional contribution is more important than their contributions at home. Nothing could be farther from the truth. It is easy for us to focus on ever-increasing piles of laundry and dishes or the never-ending housework. It would be easy to overlook those “teachable moments” when our children’s hearts are wide open and ready to receive godly wisdom. The seeds of wisdom we plant in each of those moments bears eternal fruit. And, they will continue to bear fruit for succeeding generations as our children pass down to their children that which we have so carefully taught them.

In a perfect world (alas, I don’t live in one!) I would do all of these things well every day. Of course this doesn’t happen, but each day I can do my best as God enables me. The rest I must leave in God’s hands.  And when I fail, which I regularly do, His grace, mercy, and forgiveness allow me to start the next day with a clean slate.

My husband will tell you that a strong man generally desires a strong woman for his wife. He recognizes that, like two horses in harness, both must be strong or the team will fail to run the race that is set before them. In our culture, we tend to define strong women as bossy, boisterous, and pushy, but God sees a strong woman as one who has been tempered as steel and refined like silver. It is His manifested presence in a woman that makes her strong. It is not a personality trait but a heart issue.

It is the heart of a “Proverbs 31″ woman that makes her home a safe haven for her family; a place of peace where they can find rest from the struggles of their lives. It is the quiet strength of her heart that soothes her husband and children when their hearts are filled with pain. It is the godly wisdom in her heart they turn to when confusion fills their minds and they don’t know what to do. It is her heart, completely captivated by the love of her Saviour, that is the conduit of His love for them. It is her heart, where the King of Kings reigns, which gives her the strength to become a “Proverbs 31 woman.”

“Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field.  The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance for ever.  My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.”  Isaiah 32: 16-18 (NKJV)

Copyright © 2012 by Susan E. Johnson
All rights reserved

While I Live

Psalm 146 (NKJV)

Praise the LORD!

Praise the LORD, O my soul!
While I live I will praise the LORD;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

Do not put your trust in princes,
Nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help.
His spirit departs, he returns to his earth;
In that very day his plans perish.

Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help,
Whose hope is in the LORD his God,
Who made heaven and earth,
The sea, and all that is in them;
Who keeps truth forever,
Who executes justice for the oppressed,
Who gives food to the hungry.
The LORD gives freedom to the prisoners.

The LORD opens the eyes of the blind;
The LORD raises those who are bowed down;
The LORD loves the righteous.
The LORD watches over the strangers;
He relieves the fatherless and widow;
But the way of the wicked He turns upside down.

The LORD shall reign forever—
Your God, O Zion, to all generations.

Copyright © 2011 by Susan E. Johnson
All rights reserved

An Abundance Of Peace

Psalm 37 (NKJV)

Do not fret because of evildoers,
Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,
And wither as the green herb.

Trust in the LORD, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
Delight yourself also in the LORD,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the LORD,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.
He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the noonday.

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;
Do not fret—it only causes harm.

For evildoers shall be cut off;
But those who wait on the LORD,
They shall inherit the earth.
For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more;
Indeed, you will look carefully for his place,
But it shall be no more.
But the meek shall inherit the earth,
And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

The wicked plots against the just,
And gnashes at him with his teeth.
The Lord laughs at him,
For He sees that his day is coming.
The wicked have drawn the sword
And have bent their bow,
To cast down the poor and needy,
To slay those who are of upright conduct.
Their sword shall enter their own heart,
And their bows shall be broken.

A little that a righteous man has
Is better than the riches of many wicked.
For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
But the LORD upholds the righteous.

The LORD knows the days of the upright,
And their inheritance shall be forever.
They shall not be ashamed in the evil time,
And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
But the wicked shall perish;
And the enemies of the LORD,
Like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish.
Into smoke they shall vanish away.

The wicked borrows and does not repay,
But the righteous shows mercy and gives.
For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth,
But those cursed by Him shall be cut off.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD,
And He delights in his way.
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;
For the LORD upholds him with His hand.

I have been young, and now am old;
Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
Nor his descendants begging bread.
He is ever merciful, and lends;
And his descendants are blessed.

Depart from evil, and do good;
And dwell forevermore.
For the LORD loves justice,
And does not forsake His saints;
They are preserved forever,
But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off.
The righteous shall inherit the land,
And dwell in it forever.

The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom,
And his tongue talks of justice.
The law of his God is in his heart;
None of his steps shall slide.

The wicked watches the righteous,
And seeks to slay him.
The LORD will not leave him in his hand,
Nor condemn him when he is judged.

Wait on the LORD,
And keep His way,
And He shall exalt you to inherit the land;
When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.
I have seen the wicked in great power,
And spreading himself like a native green tree.
Yet he passed away,and behold, he was no more;
Indeed I sought him, but he could not be found.

Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright;
For the future of that man is peace.
But the transgressors shall be destroyed together;
The future of the wicked shall be cut off.

But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;
He is their strength in the time of trouble.
And the LORD shall help them and deliver them;
He shall deliver them from the wicked,
And save them,
Because they trust in Him.

Copyright © 2011 by Susan E. Johnson
All rights reserved

The Now And The Not Yet

“Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.”  Isaiah 30:12 (NKJV)

Answer From The Lord

Sometimes I ask the question, “My Lord, is this your will?”
It’s then I hear You answer me, “My precious child… be still.”

Sometimes I feel frustrated, because I think I know what’s best.
It is then I hear You say to me, “My busy child… just rest.”

Sometimes I feel so lonely and think I’d like a mate.
Your still small voice gets oh so clear, “My child, please wait.”

“I know the plans I have for you, the wondrous things you’ll see.
If you can just be patient child, and put your trust in Me.”

“I’ve plans to draw you closer, I’ve plans to help you grow.
There’s much I do you cannot see, and much you do not know.”

“But know this, CHILD…I LOVE YOU. You are precious unto Me.
Before I formed you in the womb, I planned your destiny.”

“I’ve something very special that I hope for you to learn.
The gifts I wish to give to you, are gifts you cannot earn.”

“They come without a price tag, but not without a cost.
At Calvary I gave my Son, so you would not be lost.”

“Rest child, and do not weary of doing what is good.
I promise I’ll come back for you, just like I said I would.”

“Your name is written on My palm, I never could forget.
Therefore, do not be discouraged when my answer is: ‘NOT YET’.”

“Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God; how pleasant and fitting to praise Him.”   Psalm 147:1 (NIV)

Author Unknown

Edited by Susan E. Johnson

Copyright © 2011 by Susan E. Johnson
All rights reserved

More Precious Than Rubies

Proverbs 3 (NKJV)

 My son, do not forget my law,

    But let your heart keep my commands;
      For length of days and long life
      And peace they will add to you. 
      Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
      Bind them around your neck,
      Write them on the tablet of your heart, 
      And so find favor and high esteem
      In the sight of God and man. 
      Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
      And lean not on your own understanding; 
      In all your ways acknowledge Him,
      And He shall direct your paths. 
      Do not be wise in your own eyes;
      Fear the LORD and depart from evil. 
      It will be health to your flesh,
      And strength to your bones. 
      Honor the LORD with your possessions,
      And with the firstfruits of all your increase; 
      So your barns will be filled with plenty,
      And your vats will overflow with new wine. 
      My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD,
      Nor detest His correction; 
      For whom the LORD loves He corrects,
      Just as a father the son in whom he delights. 
      Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
      And the man who gains understanding; 
      For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver,
      And her gain than fine gold. 
      She is more precious than rubies,
      And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her. 
      Length of days is in her right hand,
      In her left hand riches and honor. 
      Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
      And all her paths are peace. 
      She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her,
      And happy are all who retain her. 
      The LORD by wisdom founded the earth;
      By understanding He established the heavens; 
      By His knowledge the depths were broken up,
      And clouds drop down the dew. 
      My son, let them not depart from your eyes—
      Keep sound wisdom and discretion; 
      So they will be life to your soul
      And grace to your neck. 
      Then you will walk safely in your way,
      And your foot will not stumble. 
      When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
      Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet. 
      Do not be afraid of sudden terror,
      Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; 
      For the LORD will be your confidence,
      And will keep your foot from being caught. 
      Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
      When it is in the power of your hand to do so.
      Do not say to your neighbor,

      “Go, and come back,
      And tomorrow I will give it,”
      When you have it with you. 
      Do not devise evil against your neighbor,
      For he dwells by you for safety’s sake. 
      Do not strive with a man without cause,
      If he has done you no harm. 
      Do not envy the oppressor,
      And choose none of his ways; 
      For the perverse person is an abomination to the LORD,
      But His secret counsel is with the upright. 
      The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked,
      But He blesses the home of the just. 
      Surely He scorns the scornful,
      But gives grace to the humble. 
      The wise shall inherit glory,
      But shame shall be the legacy of fools.

In A Dry And Thirsty Land

 Psalm 63 (NKJV)

O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.
So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,
To see Your power and Your glory.

Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips shall praise You.
Thus I will bless You while I live;
I will lift up my hands in Your name.
My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness,
And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.

When I remember You on my bed,
I meditate on You in the night watches.
Because You have been my help,
Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.
My soul follows close behind You;
Your right hand upholds me.

But those who seek my life, to destroy it,
Shall go into the lower parts of the earth.
They shall fall by the sword;
They shall be a portion for jackals.

But the king shall rejoice in God;
Everyone who swears by Him shall glory;
But the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped.

Copyright © 2011 by Susan E. Johnson
All rights reserved

You Matter To Him

My child… I know your sorrows… Your ever grief I share… And what is more… I care.

Think not that I am indifferent to what affecteth you… Your zeal and woe are matters of deep concern to me.

But child… I have a purpose… In all that I allow… I ask you then to trust me… Though all seems dark just now.

How often you have asked me… To purge away your dross… But this refinement process… Involves for you a cross.

There is no other pathway… If you wouldst really be… Conformed unto the image… Of Him who died for thee.

You cannot be like Jesus… Till self is crucified… And as a daily process… The cross must be applied.

Just as a skillful gardener… Applies the pruning knife… Even so I would sever… the worthless from your life.

I have but one sole objective… That you should fruitful be… And is it not your longing… That I much fruit should see.

Then shrink not from the training… I needs must give to you… I know just how to make you… What I would have you be.

Remember that I love you… Think not that I am unkind… When trials come to prove you… And joy seem left behind…

Take courage then and fear not… Press forward to the prize… A crown of life awaits you… Glory before you lies… What now seems so mysterious… Will all be then made plain.

Related Article:  http://www.boundless.org/2005/articles/a0002419.cfm

Published with permission of Scripture Nuggets Ministries and Pastor George Belobaba.

Link: www.scripturenuggets.wordpress.com

Copyright © 2011 by Scripture Nuggets Ministries
All rights reserved

The Power Of Patience

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” James 1:2-4 (NKJV)

I don’t know anyone who enjoys the process of learning patience. It doesn’t seem to matter whether you are a child or an adult, learning patience is a slow, tedious, and uncomfortable process. These days we have become so used to “instant” everything that even ”normal” amounts of patience seem to have become a lost art.  Our lives are moving at warp speed and we have no time to wait for anything.

We recently inherited my father-in-law’s newer computer. Our previous computer was many years old and extremely slow (and temperamental).  Our old computer was a daily lesson in how to wait, and I really struggled with it.  For someone who came to computers fairly late in life, I now spend the greater portion of my days on the computer, both at work and at home.  My computer at work is pretty fast, so when I came home to our old computer, I would fuss at how long it took to do even the simplest of tasks.  I would like to say that patience was perfected in me through this experience, but anyone who knows me well would be laughing.

Historically speaking, I have always tried to do everything fast: I worked fast, I walked fast, I ate fast, and I made decisions fast–slow was not part of my vocabulary. I was like the license plate I saw many years ago on a Ford Mustang, “No Go Slow”.  It has only been within the past two years that, as a result of a new challenge with rheumatoid arthritis, I have had to slow down, and it hasn’t been an easy lesson to learn. 

Learning patience is never a fun process.  It is true that there are some personality types who come by patience more easily, but unfortunately, I wasn’t one of them. I believe that I have empirical evidence of God’s sense of humor when I look back over the experiences of my life. Considering how many times I have had to learn and re-learn the same lessons on patience, one could think that the issue of patience in my life is important to God.  Some times I have passed the “test”, and sometimes I haven’t.  And for those times when I didn’t “pass”, that same test would keep popping up in my life.  There is a saying that always makes me smile: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”  How many times have we all done this?

Each one of us have areas in our lives where patience is a continual struggle. For me it has been with computers and waiting for financial provision or employment for my husband in a volatile and ever-changing industry. The issue of patience in our lives is ultimately about trust and faith; faith that God will work all things out for our good.  As I wait for Him to work on my behalf, the ultimate challenge has been to keep from trying to solve these issues in my own strength.  It seems that the more I try to “fix” things on my own, the more messed up my life becomes and the longer God waits to move in to remedy the situation. 

We have a saying in our family about the process of waiting for God to work: “It seems like God thinks He has all the time in the world!  Doesn’t He know we need this fixed right now?” (said with a smile, of course).  In a recent conversation with my daughter, we were talking about this process of waiting and how often it feels like God has us dangling over the edge of a great abyss until the last possible moment, at which time He rides in to the rescue.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t like that feeling. That sense of “dangling” for an interminable amount of time while God works lets me know conclusively that I am not in control of the situation or the outcome.  For someone who has always been a “take charge” kind of person, this lesson has been a difficult one for me to learn.

The process of learning patience and trust in God would probably be easier if we could actually see how God was working. Most often though, we can’t see what He is doing quietly in the background; the pieces of the puzzle that He is pulling together so that our problem can be resolved.  We have to come to trust that He loves us enough to be concerned about these issues in our lives; we have to have faith that He is working on our behalf.  And, we have to bring our requests about these problems to Him, which requires a certain amount of humility and the understanding that we need His help. The ultimate irony is that we need His help in all things, not just the big problems that seem overwhelming to us.

Because God knows the end from the beginning, He knows what we don’t: how this problem or trial is important to the maturing of our faith.  I tend to look at problems as just another nuisance to get past until I can get on with “real life”, or at least that’s how I have looked at them in the past. Like some cosmic list, I have checked off each problem as it has been resolved so that I can move on to the next one. However, there never seems to be an end to my “problem list.”  It is easy to completely miss many of the simple joys of life when I am that focused on my list of problems (think Martha, not Mary in Luke 10:38-42) and it also means that my focus is not where it should be, on Him.

It is only the grace and strength of God that will work His patience in me as I learn to quietly wait. It doesn’t matter if I am waiting for the manifestation of financial provision or the restoration of a broken relationship, the process of patience and the process of learning to trust are cornerstones in my faith walk. It is time to start walking in the victory that is the result of this patience process.  Just like Aesop’s Fable of the “Tortoise And The Hare“, it will be “slow and steady” that gets the job done.  Unfortunately, there is no quick and easy way to learn the lessons of patience, trust, and faith.  Just as the tortoise slowly and methodically makes his way towards his goal, by God’s grace I want to cross the “finish line” on this one. The power of patience will be seen as I rest in Him and as His peace becomes the hallmark of my life.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:7-8 (NKJV)

Copyright © 2011 by Susan E. Johnson
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