How much is He trying to teach me patience? Needless to say you get what you ask for. As soon as it fell from my lips I was tempted to regret such a desire. Ask for patience and He gives you opportunity for patience. And here is where I find myself. Pleading for patience, and falling daily as I fail yet again to submit to His divine timing. Instead my mind is plagued by the “what ifs”. As I struggle to find joy and not simply focus on the pathetic and disappointing complaint that I am ready and that I have not gotten my way and how unfair that is, I am confronted once again by the inevitable truth.
That He has a plan. That it is good. And that I must wait for His timing. That patience flows from the Spirit. And should I truly desire to behold such a fruit, then my roots should be nowhere but planted firmly in Christ. This truth I know. This is how I feel however…bare and fruitless in the foreground of such a beautiful design, longing to be covered by the leaves of His grace and mercy. To be blossoming with the fruit and foliage that can only grow in His love…
Quite often the people in my life are such instruments of truth. I have been so blessed with such amazing individuals surrounding me that are far wiser than I and that continually speak His wisdom into my life in the most creative ways. I can only wish that they would be able to comprehend their incomparable worth in my eyes. I have a friend in particular who frequently fails to realize her worth and undeniable gift of service, companionship and most importantly encouragement. Her words of comfort come wrapped in joy, from a heart that is truly seeking after His face. It pains me in knowing that to a certain extent her view of such a life of seemingly comfort in comparison, is one that holds little validity to spread comfort to those she surrounds. How very different is the reality! From the overflow of her comfort from the Father, she is especially capable of comforting in such a powerful way, as she has felt his provision and comfort in her journey. No more than a person could comfort from a place of previous despair and brokenness, just in such a different way. How much truth is in these words…
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort. 2 Corinthians 1:3-7I fully believe that He comforts us through the people we are in community with, and for that I am so thankfully and truly blessed. It is only through this comfort that we can move from barren to beautiful. To blossom like we were created to.
