Learning Patience

I have never been a guy who likes to sit around and do nothing. So far this semester I have had many hours to myself. I have to admit, it's kind of nice to have free time for once. But I just have a feeling that I'm not supposed to sit on my hands the whole time. Thus, of course, why I'm writing in this blog. I've always enjoyed sharing my thoughts, whether one person reads them or a thousand people read them. I will try not to make this a biographical session, but I do hope to share what God is doing in my life.

Last night I spoke for my youth group at Faith Community Church in South Boston, VA. I began talking about prayer, and how sometimes God doesn't give us what we pray for because He has bigger things in mind for us. I didn't get far into my lesson before the students started sharing stories about times this happened in their lives, and how God used that situation for the better. This was, of course, going to be my point, but they said it before I could. Youth can truly be amazing! Thinking back on that today, I wonder if I'm really living with that mindset, or if I am more often bitter and angry when things don't go the way I thought they should have.

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us." -Romans 8:18 (NASB)

For me, this puts things into perspective. God's Glory > present sufferings. God's Glory > present disappointments. God's Glory > me. (That is the point of Littleman, I suppose. It would make sense for me to remember it more often.) But I forget most of the time.

So I suppose God is teaching me patience right now. He is teaching me that there are things in life that don't pay a dime now, but may have heavenly rewards. The problem with heavenly rewards is that we don't see the fulfillment now. But the Glory that is to be revealed to us is much greater even than our present satisfaction. That's the promise God gives us. And we may not recognize that when things don't go our way, but the promise is still there. It's always there. Though every disappointment, every suffering, every hardship. We must not forgot that God is God, and He will never break His promise.

-kevin