Today, as I was doing Morning Prayer in the Book of Common Prayer, this verse jumped out to me while I was reading the designated Psalm for today — Psalm 71.
In the BCP, it’s wording is slightly different. Here it is:
“But, I shall always wait in patience, and shall praise you more and more.” ~Psalm 71:14
Patience. Ahhhh, what an ugly word.
But, patience is something we all need and Jesus uses patience to help us trust him. And, isn’t it a Fruit of the Spirit?
Ah, yes. It’s that lovely and oh-so-inspiring word “longsuffering.”
😳
I love patience just as much as you do. Lol
But, as I readied to write this post and create my ever-so-creative meme, I found other versions that used a different phrase:
“I will hope continually…”
To “hope continually” sounds a whole lot different that having patience! To me, “to hope” is active, we are involved, we are doing something.
To have patience, however, is passive. We sit here waiting. Waiting on God to act.
Which is what we are supposed to do.
God is at work in our lives — every second. He doesn’t need us to do a thing except love Him.
Isn’t that nice? All I have to do is sit here and believe and HE will make a way.
I don’t have to do a thing. I just have to sit here…patiently.
Oh, but how we don’t like to be patient. We like to help God. Help a God who created the heavens and the earth totally without us. Help a God who knows each and every one of our paths; who knows the number of hairs on our head. (Luke 12:7)
Let me let you in on a little secret:
God doesn’t need your help.
God has plans for you.(Jeremiah 29:11)
And, in hard the times He says He will fight for you and “you need only to be still.” (Exodus 14:14)
In Psalm 46:10, He says “Be still and KNOW that I am God.” (My emphasis added.)
Being still?
That’s patience.
And, that’s all God asks us to do.
