DON'T EAT YOUR DINNER IN THE MORNING

PATIENCE: A VIRTUE WORTH HAVING.

Patience is defined is as the ability to wait, endure for a period of time without losing interest, getting upset or angry. It is being consistently constant. It involves endurance, waiting and it is a great Christian virtue to have in our lives. It is a fruit of the Holy Spirit as recorded in the Galatians 5:20 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness….”

Sometimes we think of patience as something designed to help us suffer failure gracefully, but according to scriptures, it will actually put us on the path to success!

Patience works hand in hand with faith. They work together to see to it that the promises of God are fulfilled in our lives. 

We live in a microwave society and many of us don’t like to wait for anything; we want it now!

Personally, I have waited for weeks, months and even years to see the manifestation of a promise from God; in fact am still waiting on some. Sometimes it is not pleasant to wait and our faith in God begins to erode gradually but there are great benefits in waiting on the Lord to see His promises come to pass in our lives.

God is a God of times and seasons. He doesn’t give out blessings too quickly or early like we all want Him to –NOW! There are great dangers of eating your dinner early in the morning. Do not eat your harvest before its due time. 

I take great lessons from a farmer. He doesn’t plant a seed and expect it to produce fruits right away but have to wait patiently for its time. He doesn’t wait for two days, one week and then uproots the seed wondering why the fruits are not out ready to eat. No, but he WAITS PATIENTLY! We must wait on God patiently for all we have prayed and asked for; He has great things in store for those who trust and wait on Him. ”Isaiah 64:4 reminds us: “Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him."

Before God releases a blessing, He trains and equips you for it. You don’t give a Mercedes Benz car to a child simply because he/she wants it and cries about it. When we pray, He hears us but sometimes, His answer is WAIT; we have to wait. Waiting patiently purifies our motives and matures us to handle the challenges down the line. We have to go through the process. David is a good example; David was anointed as king but didn’t sit on the throne until several years later. He went through the process patiently. He didn’t lose hope or become upset he wasn't crowned immediately or weeks after he was anointed—He waited for the appointed time. In the process, He learned how to deal with EVERY GOLIATH, fought the Bear and the Lion that came to his path and served king Saul diligently before the crown. He went through the process. How willing are we ready to go through and persevere when we go through the building/refining process?

Yes, God has promised us great blessings in our lives but we have to wait PATIENTLY for the manifestation. What you get too quickly, you could lose quickly also; wait to be equipped for the blessing! When we lack patience and give up, we lose out of our blessings.

While waiting patiently, PRAISE GOD for the answered prayers and look up to Him declaring His words. 

Being patient is a vital part of trusting God as our life’s circumstances are not always what we will prefer. According to Numbers 23:19: “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? He will bring His promises to pass; put patience to work.  The scripture reminds us in Hebrews 10:35-36:“Cast not away, therefore, your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.”

Faith opens the door to God's promise for you, and patience keeps it open until that promise is fulfilled. Do you have your faith sights set on a promise of God today, a promise you've been waiting on for some time? Don't let the delay discourage you. Put patience to work. The Word guarantees you will receive your reward. 

I am reminded of the songwriter who wrote so pertinently: 

Walking around these walls
I thought by now they'd fall
But You have never failed me yet
Waiting for change to come
Knowing the battle's won
For You have never failed me yet

Your promise still stands
Great is Your faithfulness, faithfulness
I'm still in Your hands
This is my confidence, You've never failed me yet

I know the night won't last
Your Word will come to pass
My heart will sing Your praise again
Jesus, You're still enough
Keep me within Your love
My heart will sing Your praise again

've seen You move, come move the mountains
And I believe, I'll see You do it again
You made a way, where there was no way
And I believe, I'll see You do it again

He will bring ALL HE HAS PROMISED TO PASS IN HIS OWN TIME! Keep trusting and holding on to God’s unfailing hands!

Prayer Changes Things!

Chichi O.