How Can I Hold on When it Feels Like God is Holding Out?
by Cynthia Jennings on August 19, 2020In today’s climate with all the unjust, unrest and uncertainties a scenario came to my mind. The scenario goes like this: “A little girl is all dressed up in her fancy dress, shoes and pearls. She has prepared snacks, decorated table, handmade napkins and tea. All she needed was her mom’s “special tea set.” Her mother was busy and said to the daughter give me fifteen minutes and I’ll get it for you. The little girl was so excited to present her tea party for her family that she could not wait the fifteen minutes for her mother to get the “special tea set.” So, the little girl took it upon herself to get it. All of a sudden, crash!! Glass is shattered all over the floor! Following were the sounds of a shrilling wail. The mother knew what happened. The little girl sobbed over the wreckage at her feet. She cried, “mom I’m sorry, I got tired of waiting and I wasn’t sure if you would keep your promise of getting me the “special tea set.” “I wish I would have been more patient the little girl sobbed.”
As I think about all the shattered glass in people’s lives today, whether it’s literal glass or the shattered glass of hope, it brings to mind that faith without patience falls short thus leaving us sobbing over shattered glass.
The little girl in my head scenario wanted to trust the word of her mother, but without patience she didn’t have the fortitude to wait for its fulfillment. We too are often times like this little girl. We say we trust God but we don’t have or we choose not to exercise patience to wait for the manifestation.
As I pondered on my head scenario, I thought, I trust God’s Word. I believe if He says it, He will do it. However, in the midst of me pondering, I also realized trusting God to keep His promises requires more than just confidence in saying I trust God’s Word; it demands endurance as well. It made me think. How well is my endurance?
God knows our endurance can and will be tested. That is why His Word reminds us over and over that faith and patience are partners. One without the other will leave us fatigued, dangling in discouragement and oftentimes fearful.
Today’s climate has all of us waiting on something. The end of the pandemic, the end of unjust and unrest. It looks like there is no positive means for the foreseeable future. However, I know God’s Word can be trusted. Waiting on God isn’t easy but with patience it’s possible. So, hang in there! Don’t stop believing! On the other side of your wait is a promise fulfilled.
PEARLStoPONDER: Faith alone gives us boldness to trust God’s Word. Patience alone is what keeps us holding on. But patience and faith as partners gives us courage to trust God’s timing when it seems like He is holding out.
Psalm: 27:14-- Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.
Romans 8:25-- But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
Hebrews 6:12-- That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Hebrews 10:23-- Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised.
James 1:4-- But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
As I think about all the shattered glass in people’s lives today, whether it’s literal glass or the shattered glass of hope, it brings to mind that faith without patience falls short thus leaving us sobbing over shattered glass.
The little girl in my head scenario wanted to trust the word of her mother, but without patience she didn’t have the fortitude to wait for its fulfillment. We too are often times like this little girl. We say we trust God but we don’t have or we choose not to exercise patience to wait for the manifestation.
As I pondered on my head scenario, I thought, I trust God’s Word. I believe if He says it, He will do it. However, in the midst of me pondering, I also realized trusting God to keep His promises requires more than just confidence in saying I trust God’s Word; it demands endurance as well. It made me think. How well is my endurance?
God knows our endurance can and will be tested. That is why His Word reminds us over and over that faith and patience are partners. One without the other will leave us fatigued, dangling in discouragement and oftentimes fearful.
Today’s climate has all of us waiting on something. The end of the pandemic, the end of unjust and unrest. It looks like there is no positive means for the foreseeable future. However, I know God’s Word can be trusted. Waiting on God isn’t easy but with patience it’s possible. So, hang in there! Don’t stop believing! On the other side of your wait is a promise fulfilled.
PEARLStoPONDER: Faith alone gives us boldness to trust God’s Word. Patience alone is what keeps us holding on. But patience and faith as partners gives us courage to trust God’s timing when it seems like He is holding out.
Psalm: 27:14-- Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.
Romans 8:25-- But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
Hebrews 6:12-- That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Hebrews 10:23-- Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised.
James 1:4-- But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
