Faith, Hope, and Patience

Have you ever been in a position of waiting for something and there was nothing you could do about it? Feeling trapped, like being under a glass ceiling, you wait, knowing your future is in someone else's hands?

You may feel this in you job, you can't move ahead until those above you are sufficiently impressed. Maybe you feel this in ministry, you have a great idea, but are waiting on approval. Maybe you're waiting for approval on a loan, a federal tax rebate, or some other financial improvement to help you move to the next level or buy that thing that you desperately need. Maybe you're waiting for God to answer a prayer, maybe to heal you or someone you care about, but you're not seeing any improvement. And so you wait . . . patiently?

I was thinking this morning about waiting and what constitutes patience. Is it an attitude deep within our heart? Is it having a sense of peace about a situation? I've found that when I've had the most patience waiting, I've also got a good dose of faith and hope. Faith that God will provide in His perfect timing. He cares for me and wants his best for me. If what I'm waiting for is within His will, then it will all work out. Hope is that thing I look to in the future, that thing my eyes are fixed on, that thing I'm waiting for. I imagine what it will be like when the waiting is over. Flood gates will open up, tension will leave my body, and the river of my life will flow freely again. If I don't have that horizon to look at, I get frustrated instead of patient.

My prayer for you is that faith, hope, and patience become your mode of operation when you have to wait for someone else to act. Blessings today and always.