James 5:7-8, 10-11 Brothers the Lord comes again. A farmer patiently waits for his valuable crop to grow from the earth and for it to receive the autumn and spring rains. You, too, must be patient. Do not give up hope, because the Lord is coming soon. Brothers and sisters, follow the example of the prophets who spoke for the Lord. They suffered many hard things, but they were patient. We say they are happy because they did not give up. You have heard about Job’s patience, and you know the Lord’s purpose for him in the end. You know the Lord is full of mercy and is kind.
God inhabits the praise of His people.
Patience means waiting. Waiting does not mean waiting with our arms crossed. Waiting is not passive. One of the greatest helps for impatience is to be busy in our patience.
We get the idea that life is going to be one way and get derailed when it isn't. We don't know what to do.
How do I be busy in my waiting? While I'm waiting, I can:
Explore what I believe. Do I believe in God? Do I trust in God? What is my reason to sing?
The whole world is in God's hands and that is a reason to sing.
There's times of hurt in our life that are SO deep that we feel like we can't go on. James knew that and said to old on.
Psalm 6:2-3 - Lord, have mercy on me because I am weak. Heal me, Lord, because my bones ache. I am very upset.Lord, how long will it be?
Job was confused, he didn't understand, but he chose to believe that God was Good and he would trust in God. May I do the same.
We live a full life if we trust in the Kindness of God.
While I'm waiting, I can...
Protect my integrity. It's easy to compromise - to rationalize - when we're hurting.
While I'm waiting, I can...
Find comfort. Sometimes in the midst of hurt, we're wild to fix it, but sometimes that's not possible.
When we're hurting, it's too easy to focus on the hurt. When we're hurting its too easy to believe lies like neither God or anyone else cares about us.
2 Corinthians 1:3 God is...full of mercy and all comfort.
God is waiting to embrace, hold, and love on us.
Even on the worst day, there are moments of Joy. Grab those moments.
Connection in the midst of our pain heals. Hurting alone is lousy. Don't hurt alone.
There's a whole lot of sickness, a whole lot of pain, a whole lot of hurt that has nothing to do with our sin.
James 5:16 - When a believing person prays, great things happen.
Prayer is an act of relationship. It is a place to connect with God - not get from God.
While I am waiting, I can...
Partner together with God.
Knowing the Truth isn't enough, it's living the Truth that matters.
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