Patience is not the ability to wait, it's how you act while waiting

Patience is not the ability to wait, it's how you act while waiting

How any times have you waited for a bus, a phone call or that special present or for something to arrive?

You wait around, keep looking at your watch, tapping for foot and you start to think, will it ever happen, will it ever arrive.

The thing is we tend to be a society that wants everything to happen straight away.

Patience (or forbearing) is the state of endurance under difficult circumstances,
which can mean persevering in the face of delay or provocation without acting on annoyance/anger in a negative way; or exhibiting forbearance when under strain, especially when faced with longer-term difficulties. Patience is the level of endurance one can take before negativity.

Trust in God
Proverbs 3:5-7 NIV

Trust in the Lord  with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight..

If you put your trust in God then you can enjoy your life, whilst God is at work sorting your life out.

Have you ever seen a picture of God with a wrist watch or clock?

No because God's time span is infinite and his timing is always perfect

God has a plan, God has a timing, and God has a wonderful, unique plan for your life.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord , "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

So what should you do whilst waiting for God?

Pray. To God, because he is listening always.

Study. God's word for guidance

Give thanks. Even if you think that God hasn't answered your prayers or is listening to you, it just seems God is at work on a bigger and better plan for your life.

Also keep your words in line with God's word.

And stay busy helping others, because the devil makes work for idol hands.

The quickest way to get your blessing is to, be a blessing to someone else to who needs a blessing.

"God it's your will, your way and your timing and in the keen while I'm just gonna enjoy my life".

Psalm 106:12-15 AMP

Then they believed His words [trusting in, relying on them]; they sang His praise. 

But they hastily forgot His works; they did not [earnestly] wait for His plans [to develop] regarding them, 

But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness and tempted  and  tried to restrain God [with their insistent desires] in the desert.  

And He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their souls  and  [thinned their numbers by] disease and death.

Psalm 31:14 AMP

But I trusted in, relied on, and was confident in You, O Lord; I said, You are my God.

There have been many times in my life I have wanted something and kept on at my mum "oh please can I have it, I really want it." and when I received it, I realised  that I didn't need it or want so much after all and that my mum had just given in to keep me asking all the time.

What if you had a child that kept on asking you for sweets and you just gave them to them every time to stop them asking all the time, and when you gave in and gave them the sweets the never said thank you?

We must remember that sometimes God also says no.

God answers three ways.

Yes, because he knows it's something that we need, that will benefit us,

No, because we don't need it or it is something that could harm us.

Wait, Because he knows that if we wait for it we will appreciate it more when we receive it.

There have been many times that I have gone through testing times and have been wanting something and have had to wait for it, and for some things I am still waiting, but I now know that If it is something that God feels that I need and will benefit me then he will provide it for me.

Because i know that in these times i draw closer to and rely on God more

James 1:2-4 NIV

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

The important thing we must also remember is to say thank you, not just for what we receive, but also for what we don't receive

So i hope and pray that the next time you are waiting for something you stop and think, is it something I REALLY need, and if you don't receive it then hopefully you will know that God is working on something better for you.