Patience in change - March 19 , 2015

 

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-2     There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: 2     a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,

Hebrews 9:27     Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,

Job 14:5     A person's days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed.

We will always have a season of struggle, tests and trials. There will be times where it seems that nothing works or turns out right. The enemy seems to hound us regardless of our prays and consecration. We CANNOT pray these times away! God has a purpose for our dormancy and struggle. We must not lose faith when the cold winds blow, when the blooms around you wither  and you seem alone and isolated. Hold firm in spite of the dislike for the chilly and seemingly harsh conditions; there is a purpose for the inconvenience.

The apostle Paul calls these circumstance "light afflictions"   (2 Corinthians 4:17     For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.) Some things are not meant to change, you can't change; it is what it is,,,but you can survive it because you're destined to testify about it later.

Temporary setbacks create opportunity, Temporary setbacks are an invitation to fresh commitment and renewed strength. Enjoy your dormancy. Lay down deeper roots. Store your strength.

Never give into temptations invitation to make permanent decisions based on temporary circumstances. There is an old quote that goes "Patience is a tree whose root is bitter, but it's fruit is sweet." The reward of having patience is not always having to amend your amendments. Temporary situations should not merit a knee-jerk immediate response. Prayer births patience. Patience births trust....we cannot trust a God that we don't talk to or develop a relationship with.