Waiting in Joy: a topic on Patience.
One of the things I don’t like doing is waiting for someone to do something that I can do alternatively. I just don't like waiting, I always want things very fast and instant, considering the Consequences, maybe I should have known better. As Christians, we've not only been called to serve others but also have the same trust and faith when waiting for God's promise in our lives. It all comes down to patience, a very unpleasant reality to someone going through a lot at a time. Many can be patient if they have where to start or have a bit of confidence that they will achieve or receive what they are waiting for. But what happens when all hope is lost, when everything you’re trying isn’t working out despite the prayers? when the storms of life test your patience and the wait seems to be useless?
My struggle:
[ Psalm 37:7]
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!
One of the most beautiful things that has ever happened to me was moving to Texas in 2018 from Uganda (east Africa), I was excited for the academic upgrade quality of training I was going to receive prior to my future career. Being a straight A student in Africa, I thought things would be easier here in terms of grades; things were about to change. Despite being good at sciences, I hardly understood my science professors, the accents were just too much to cope with. I had known English for only 6 years and my vocabulary wasn’t so equipped to understand the social conversations between my fellow students.
For the record, I didn’t even know who “santa” was…Fortunately, Concordia University is a very good space for people trying to adapt like I was; I joined life-groups (fellowship small groups) and it was very comforting experience, even then, I didn’t have many friends due to the sudden change of culture and hence it was hard to get along. There are days I just went home and never came out of my room. I felt lonely. My patience was running out; if God brought me here, why was I going through this. Why was it hard to adapt?? Why was it easy for others and not me??
Even though I had all these questions, it’s fair to say the answer to all of them was to have been “patient” and “wait” for God’s grace to work things out for me. As psalm 37:7 says, I didn’t have to be saddened by other people’s success, but be encouraged by my progress, my development towards something I was waiting for. Sometimes it’s saddening seeing others succeed while your plans go down drain, but God doesn’t want us to be broken down by our failures, He wants us to grow from assessing our mistakes, noticing our progress and have joy as we wait for Him to accomplish what He started in us.
[Proverbs 16:19]
We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.
[1 Peter 5:10]
“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”
When all hope seems lost, be strengthened by the belief that God will establish you…don’t focus on the characteristics of the season, just wait in joy and prayer because you serve a God who restores!
Remember; the lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him [Lamentations 3:25].