HURRY UP; I THINK I HAVE SOMEWHERE TO GO!

 I WAS STANDING IN THE LINE AT THE GROCERY STORE YESTERDAY.  IT WAS ABOUT 8:30 IN THE MORNING.  THERE WERE AROUND FIVE PEOPLE WAITING TO CHECK OUT AND THERE WAS ONLY ONE CASHIER WORKING.  EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT KIND OF REACTION THAT GENERALLY ELICITS FROM AT LEAST ONE PERSON WHO IS IN LINE.

A LADY STANDING IN FRONT OF ME WAS ABOUT TO BLOW A GASKET.  SHE LOOKED AT ME AND SAID, “DON’T THEY KNOW IT IS SATURDAY MORNING?”  SHE THEN TURNED BACK AROUND AND SIGHED, HUFFED, AND PUFFED AS IF SOMEONE WAS GOING TO NOTICE AND GET TO HER ANY QUICKER.  MY “OLD” SELF WOULD HAVE SAID, “I’M WITH YOU, SISTER, BUT NOW I KNOW BETTER

 A FEW YEARS BACK, THE LORD HAD ME GO INTO A STORE I HAD NEVER BEEN IN BEFORE AND WHILE IN THERE, I LOOKED AT FRAMED ARTWORK.  I CAME ACROSS WHAT HE WANTED ME TO SEE-A VERY DELICATE PICTURE THAT SHOWED THE SUN SHINING DOWN ON A TREE.  THERE WAS A SAYING BY EMMERSON ON THE PICTURE THAT SAID, “ADOPT THE PACE OF NATURE.  HER SECRET IS PATIENCE.”  I HAVE NEVER FORGOTTEN THESE WORDS.  I NEED TO LEARN TO LIVE BY THEM.

I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT PROBABLY MY WORST CHARACTERISTIC IS LACK OF PATIENCE.  I HAVE IMPROVED SOME, BUT, WELL….

THINK ABOUT IT-DON’T YOU NOTICE THAT ESPECIALLY NOW EVERYONE IS IN A HURRY?  WHEN DRIVING, FOR EXAMPLE, EVERYONE WANTS TO PASS EACH OTHER.  MOST OF THE TIME, THE PERSON THAT HAS PASSED YOU IS UP AHEAD WAITING AT A STOPLIGHT.  GOSH FORBID, YOU TRY TO CHANGE LANES IN FIVE O’CLOCK TRAFFIC!  IF SOMEONE SEES YOU TRYING TO GET OVER, THEY SPEED UP TO CLOSE THE GAP BETWEEN THEM AND THE CAR AHEAD OF THEM.  IT MIGHT SLOW THEM DOWN IF ONE OR TWO CARS GETS AHEAD OF THEM.  WHERE IS EVERYONE IN SUCH A HURRY TO GO AND WHY DO THEY HAVE TO BE IN A HURRY TO GET THERE?  THEY WANT TO GET NOWHERE AS FAST AS THEY CAN.

A SCRIPTURE I HAVE BEEN REPEATING LATELY IS “THOSE WHO INHERIT GOD’S PROMISES DO SO THROUGH FAITH AND PATIENCE.”  IT TOOK ME TOO LONG TO TURN TO GOD AND I CRINGE TO THINK OF WHAT HE HAD PLANNED FOR ME THAT I HAVE MISSED.   THE LAST THING I WANT TO COTNINUE TO DO IS MISS THE LOVELY PROMISES OF GOD DUE IN PART TO LACK OF PATIENCE.  THE ABOVE SCRIPTURE GIVES US A PROMISE BUT IT ALSO IS A WARNING, I BELIEVE. 

WE PUT A STOPWATCH ON OURSELVES FOR SOME REASON.  MANY THINK THAT OTHERS SHOULD ACT AND REACT ACCORDING TO THEIR TIMEFRAME AND ACT AS IF OTHERS’ SCHEDULES DO NOT MATTER.  I THINK THAT IF GOD CANNOT SEE US BEING PATIENT WITH OURSELVES AND OTHERS REGARDING EARTHLY MATTERS, WHAT MAKES US THINK HE IS GOING TO TRUST US WITH MORE FROM HEAVEN?

I NEED TO LEARN TO BE MORE PATIENT WITH GOD, OTHERS AND MYSELF BECAUSE IN THE END, I AM HOPING FOR ALL GOD’S PROMISES.  I AM MUCH TOO ANXIOUS TO GET TO THESE PROMISES AND CONTINUALLY ASK HIM “WHEN?”  I HAVE LEARNED THAT I CANNOT “RUSH” GOD INTO DOING ANYTHING HE KNOWS I AM NOT READY TO RECEIVE. 

LIFE IS BUT A FLUTTER OF AN EYELASH.  SLOW DOWN, TAKE A DEEP BREATH, AND LEARN TO BE PATIENT.  GOD TELLS US WE CANNOT INHERIT HIS PROMISES EXCEPT THROUGH FAITH AND PATIENCE.  HOW MANY PROMISES HAVE YOU MISSED BECAUSE OF YOUR IMPATIENCE?

EVERYTHING COMES GRADUALLY AND AT ITS APPOINTED TIME-OVID

KATIE