Patience

This Sunday, as part of our study on James, we will be talking about patience. Something that I feel like I am being forced to grow in. I guess when I decide that I want to live a more disciplined life, God throws opportunities for patience growth in my life.

I am in the midst of purchasing a house. This week the outside of the house is being painted, the inside of the house is having the ceiling repaired and replaced (the owners fell through the attic), and the closing date was pushed back for the sellers. I want so badly to be out of my apartment and into this house. However, I am having to wait a little longer. I am going to be in the house a long time so a few days is not a big deal. It is hard to wait though. To be patient.

I have had a renewed desire to work out at the gym I have an underutilized membership to this week. I want instant results. I want a 6-pack in a week. That is definitely not going to happen. It is a slow growth process. However, I want to be disciplined in my working out, and be patient in my physical transformation.

I also feel like I am being called to wait in my personal life. Waiting for God to reveal to me someone I am meant to spend my life with. I feel as though God is telling me to wait. To be content. To not take the timing of things into my own hand but with for God’s timing. I am committing to pray about this. I want to be ready for her when she comes and I want to be patient and wait for God to weave whatever he has in mind together.

James tells his audience that they need patience in suffering. That in their lives, they will have trouble. But they must be patient and wait for the Lord’s return. That is ultimately what we should be waiting and excited for. Patience, in James’ mind, is accompanied by prayer. Prayer when things are good, prayer when things are not good.

Disciplined living is slowly seeping into my life. I am thankful that God is giving me opportunities to exercise (literally and figuratively) my patience.

Listing

“Can I trust that voice and follow it? It is not a very loud voice, and often it is drowned out by the clamor of the inner city. Still, when I listen attentively, I will hear that voice again and again and come to recognize it as the voice speaking to the deepests places of my heart.” – Henri Nouwen

In efforts to become more disciplined in my life, I want to start by listening. Although I am not the person who is always talking. I find myself all too often just waiting for my turn to speak while in conversation with someone. I hold on to the thought I have in my head so as not to lose it and miss out on an opportunity to impress someone with the deep thoughts inside my head. Listening is a discipline I need to practice. It is a muscle I need to exercise.

How often does my prayer time involve listening? More often than not I want to fill it with my own voice. Praising God, thanking Him for the many ways he blesses me, petitioning him for help and healing in my life as well as the lives of those close to me. God is a great listener. He hears and is probably waiting to whisper truth into my life. However, after my verbose prayer to Him, I give no space for a response. Prayer time shuts down and the clamor of life begins.

I’m beginning to carve out the space for listening in my life, my relationships, my faith?

 

The World Will Know

This is the relaunch of my blog. We’ll see if it can stick this time. I’m hoping to become a more disciplined person. This blog will be a test of that.

Here’s to keeping up with a blog and hopefully writing something worth reading.