'40'

I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry.  He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.  Psalm 40: 1-2

As much as I would like to believe I am a patient person, I am not.  Coming from Atlanta, where my daily 15-mile commute to work took me at least an hour and a half to drive, one way, you had no choice but to be patient.  We currently live in Knoxville, where you can make it from one end of town to the other in about 20 minutes, but some days, I grow very impatient and frustrated with some of the drivers here in East TN.

We all struggle with impatience at times and many of us have been doing it since birth.  For instance, both our sons are all smiles until they both want something and then they will proceed to nag and whine until they try to get their way.  We all want things instantly.

As adults, we still struggle with being patient, especially when it comes to God answering our prayers and petitions.  Dr. Charles Stanley says that it is ‘dangerous’ to grow impatient with God as “we might miss the Lord’s perfect plan and His blessings.”   

I believe Dr. Stanley is right on.  We must learn to accept what God gives us and sometimes what He does not give us so that we can live with peace and without stress.  While waiting, we should continue to converse with God through prayer, obey His commands and seek Him for direction.  Only when we trust Him and patiently wait for His good and perfect timing will we be at peace.