Love is Patient
Praise the Lord for motherhood, it is sanctifying me daily! Before I had Isla, I actually thought I was a relatively patient person. And now, motherhood has revealed the reality of the depths of my patience. Which is this: it only goes as far as the surface. If you were to examine it any deeper, you would see a person who wakes up with a certain agenda in mind. And the moment my world is surprised with a twist I wasn't expecting, I get frustrated.
Isla recently has entered the toddler phase. Which means she has been extra sweet and extra naughty lately. Some examples of the sweetness: yesterday as she headed toward her bed, she held out her hand to me, expecting me, with such trust and assurance, to grab hold of it and walk hand-and-hand with her. Earlier that day she gave me a hug which lasted 2 whole minutes (which is saying a lot, since she can't hold still usually). It was one of those moments where time actually stops ticking, and your whole world slows down for those tiny frames of existence, and you simply savor it. Some examples of the naughtiness: well, let's not dwell upon that :) Needless to say, she requires a lot of patience!
Being a mother has showed me that I am also very impatient in many other aspects of my life. I have been dwelling upon the phrase: "wait patiently". All throughout the Psalms it speaks of waiting patiently for the Lord. David (the author of many of the Psalms) was in a lot of extremely difficult situations, uncomfortable to be sure (hiding from his enemies in caves, and such). Playing the waiting game was old school to him and in turn it produced a man who knew the immense importance of patience.
Brady and I recently moved up to Alaska, and I have found myself becoming anxious about what life here will hold for our family. I find myself wanting to know everything about my future right this instant. But life unfolds before us slowly, one minute at a time, and it is meant to. One of my very favorite verses says it perfectly: "My times are in Your hand" (Psalm 31:15). Therefore I can rest assured that God is holding all the minutes of my life. To quote Amy Carmichael: I see Thee thread the minutes of my hours.
Love is patient.
God is love.
God is so patient with us.
And He teaches us by example.
He waits patiently for us to realize just how great our sin is but how greater still is His mercy and steadfast love toward us. He waits patiently for us to understand that all our strength comes from Him and all our dependency should rest on Him alone. And He waits patiently for us to give Him the glory that is due His name!
During the day, as God gives me such tangible ways to practice walking after Him. I pray that in those moments when I would much rather have my agenda be at the top of the list, that I could just slow down and learn to enjoy the unexpected twists and turns of life.
These words give me great hope, on my journey of sanctification.
"For this is the will of God, your sanctification..." - 1 Thess. 4:3 See, God's desire is for me to flourish and learn the art of patience from Him!
Isla recently has entered the toddler phase. Which means she has been extra sweet and extra naughty lately. Some examples of the sweetness: yesterday as she headed toward her bed, she held out her hand to me, expecting me, with such trust and assurance, to grab hold of it and walk hand-and-hand with her. Earlier that day she gave me a hug which lasted 2 whole minutes (which is saying a lot, since she can't hold still usually). It was one of those moments where time actually stops ticking, and your whole world slows down for those tiny frames of existence, and you simply savor it. Some examples of the naughtiness: well, let's not dwell upon that :) Needless to say, she requires a lot of patience!
Being a mother has showed me that I am also very impatient in many other aspects of my life. I have been dwelling upon the phrase: "wait patiently". All throughout the Psalms it speaks of waiting patiently for the Lord. David (the author of many of the Psalms) was in a lot of extremely difficult situations, uncomfortable to be sure (hiding from his enemies in caves, and such). Playing the waiting game was old school to him and in turn it produced a man who knew the immense importance of patience.
Brady and I recently moved up to Alaska, and I have found myself becoming anxious about what life here will hold for our family. I find myself wanting to know everything about my future right this instant. But life unfolds before us slowly, one minute at a time, and it is meant to. One of my very favorite verses says it perfectly: "My times are in Your hand" (Psalm 31:15). Therefore I can rest assured that God is holding all the minutes of my life. To quote Amy Carmichael: I see Thee thread the minutes of my hours.
Love is patient.
God is love.
God is so patient with us.
And He teaches us by example.
He waits patiently for us to realize just how great our sin is but how greater still is His mercy and steadfast love toward us. He waits patiently for us to understand that all our strength comes from Him and all our dependency should rest on Him alone. And He waits patiently for us to give Him the glory that is due His name!
During the day, as God gives me such tangible ways to practice walking after Him. I pray that in those moments when I would much rather have my agenda be at the top of the list, that I could just slow down and learn to enjoy the unexpected twists and turns of life.
These words give me great hope, on my journey of sanctification.
"For this is the will of God, your sanctification..." - 1 Thess. 4:3 See, God's desire is for me to flourish and learn the art of patience from Him!
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