The Patience Game

I seldom talk about PATIENCE because I'm not so sure I'm very good at it. The patience game wears me out, frustrates me, and doesn't fit with my hyper personality; however, I am glad that there are people in my life to demonstrate their patience with me. Most importantly, I'm excited about the patience of God towards me.



What has helped me is a definition of GRACE that I stumbled on which said that IMPATIENCE is the absence of GRACE. That sure left a mark! And then I remembered the words of Paul who said that LOVE is PATIENT. Now I'm taking a good old beating. I should have known that. Anyone with children eventually comes around to the comprehension that without patience, love is impossible.



In fact, the really GOOD NEWS is that God has UNLIMITED PATIENCE (I Tim. 1:15-16). Now, you can take that verse and run with it, just don't build a doctrine on it. But, the unlimited patience of God is the hope of the entire world. And let me remind you that grace and patience doesn't end with the grave.



The reason that God needs patience, among many other attributes is because we humanoids are very slow learners. II Peter 3:15 is a good reminder for us on that point. God is the ultimate nuturing symbol.



Brought down to the human level, where we can relate profoundly. I see this scenario played out over and over in our media when a loved one, spouse, or children is abducted or gone missing. When to the parents GIVE UP after a child is gone missing? Do they reach out for a week, a month, a quarter? When you look back on some of the most sensational missing children scenarios, what's the message?



We are accepted and affirmed by God forever!



Nine months later the parents of Elizabeth Smart were still looking, still searching. And in one of the most unusual twists of fate, she was found! It was a different story with Natalee Holloway; however, her parents never gave up in spite of the most difficult of circumstances.



If we won't give up on our children or loved ones, how much more do you think God will stay faithful to the day of redemption for us. Well past the grave. It's for eternity because God created us eternal. Don't lose hope, faith, or be discouraged. The God patience game never ends! Nothing 9Romans 8) can separate us from our Maker, Creator, and Father!