Patience

Did you ever wonder why “patience” is a virtue? It seems as a virtue it doesn’t have a lot going for it. For example, it seems inefficient. Waiting for something gives the appearance something is not getting done. Patience doesn’t seem to get much credit. People don’t re-mark, ”he/she was a great man/women, he/she was so patient”. Patience doesn’t seem to make one great. Patience might have been used in the creation of greatness, but they are usually remembered for something else. Like, the light bulb.

The old tale of the Hare and the Tortoise doesn’t seem to fit in the world I’m in. Getting things done, taking command and being decisive are more desirable attributes. Patience also seems to be a luxury. You can afford to have it, when you need it the least. When you’re wealthy there’s no reason to rush after riches. You can be patient when you’ve accomplished everything you set out to do. You can be patient if there’s no pressure to get something done or be somewhere. Patience is in distain, old fashioned, lightly appreciated and seldom practiced.

And then you have the problem of definition. Everyone has their own definition of patience. To some waiting 10 seconds for something to happen is patience, to others, 10 minutes, or 10 hours, or 10 days. When a person is impatient what does that really mean? They aren’t living up to your definition of patience?

I don’t think people consider it the most important virtue. People just say it’s “a virtue”. Does it have a rank? How high should it be? Then, it's like a game. You need to practice, to get good. Not only do you have to “have patience” you are to keep practicing. If there is something most people don’t like it’s practicing. Why do you think so many exercising and dieting programs fail? Well, that may not be a fair analogy. I think you get my point. In some odd way we admire people who we consider to have patience. Although none of us seem to be satisfied with the amount we have. Nor, do we know how much we’re supposed to have.

Well, when it comes to patience, I have more questions than answers. But I have learned one thing. You don’t “make” friends! You don’t create them out of thin air. You have friendships and practice to make them better.

GP

Miracles

How often do you go to Board meetings to hear miracles? That’s what we heard at the meeting of This Gracious Work foundation last Thursday. Janis came excited to tell about hers.

“The doctor said the radiation would only stop the growth of my spleen, but now it is only 11 cm, when before it was 18 cm.”

“Wow, about half!” members responded.

“Here is the school license,” stated Bill as he pulled out an official looking document.

The board was praying to get that license after the last meeting. They also set $70 thousand as the amount Bill would need to raise before breaking ground on the new school. He hoped to have that amount within a month so he could take it on his next trip to Thailand. He reported that he had $90 thousand before he left and the school project was started.

He also had a need of a few thousand to pay tuition for the last semester of some of the students they support. The members offered different amounts they had available, and in 5 minutes the need was met.

All this came on the heels of our own meeting with our tenant. The day before we had realized that if the tenant took over all our building space as planned, it’s increase in utility payments would be more than what it’s President told us she could afford. I asked for prayer for guidance in writing a statement to explain that to her and also for preparation for a meeting with her. Our meeting went amazingly well. It was as if we had reached agreement on the problem areas before the meeting started.

The week started with our Pastor’s wife announcing they had bought a house. That was an answer to the prayers of several of us for about 4 years. Sometimes I wondered why they still had to live in the little rental. Now that it has happened, the timing and location make sense.

All this gives me hope that some of the other situations I am praying for will work out as well. Once again it is a matter of remembering the goodness of God and His promise to work out everything for my good as I obey Him. It’s much harder to see a miracle when you are in the middle of it than when it is finished.