Working in the Waiting
AN EXERPT FROM ROMANS 8
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
Hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Life on hold? Or trying to endure a moment in time that feels like an eternity? Many of us find increased familiarity with what it’s like to watch a kettle boil or paint dry at these times and are even more familiar with every square inch of our window view. God dropped into my heart last night a word about patience. It is a time for patience.
Patience is one of those words I’d much rather skip over… as one of the fruits of the Spirit, the fruits such as joy, love and peace sound much more enjoyable to enliven. But there it is, patience, as a facet of God working through us. I found the way the Amplified translation of the Bible understands the word ‘patience’, as being helpful but awkwardly challenging - it expounds ‘patience’ as, “not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting” So, that is the challenge; how am I responding? How is my patience fruit ripening today?
We will, perhaps, when in heaven look back as this self-isolating season with the luxury of perspective for that ‘ah, I see’ moment, but in the meantime what we can do is channel our passion and frustration, or even despair, into prayer to our Father who knows, understands and loves us. We can request His strength, vision for our and others’ situation, comfort and guidance to keep-on-keeping-on and survive the current moment and for the next steps. As it says in Romans 8 in 18-25.