I was one of the few (million) who went shopping this morning. I braved the traffic and walked through the chaos to find that the few items I was looking for were sold out. Of course, that could be because I didn’t get to the stores that opened at 5AM until 9AM.
While going from store to store in different locations in the city, I ran into lots of traffic. At one store, I had just about walked in when one car crashed into another. Inside some of the stores, the check-out lines were from the front of the store to the back. On TV, clips were shown of actual fights breaking out between shoppers just to get one product. People were really on the ground fighting each other! Did I mention the lines people were waiting in? How about the fact that I hate shopping?
I think I’ve gotten off track a little here. As I was watching the long lines of traffic going in and out of stores, the people waiting for just the right parking space, and the long lines just to check-out, I was reminded of a principle found all through the Bible.
Patience. It’s something that everyone at one time or another has very little of. It’s something that we could all use a little more of. Webster’s Dictionary defines the word patient as:
While going from store to store in different locations in the city, I ran into lots of traffic. At one store, I had just about walked in when one car crashed into another. Inside some of the stores, the check-out lines were from the front of the store to the back. On TV, clips were shown of actual fights breaking out between shoppers just to get one product. People were really on the ground fighting each other! Did I mention the lines people were waiting in? How about the fact that I hate shopping?
I think I’ve gotten off track a little here. As I was watching the long lines of traffic going in and out of stores, the people waiting for just the right parking space, and the long lines just to check-out, I was reminded of a principle found all through the Bible.
Patience. It’s something that everyone at one time or another has very little of. It’s something that we could all use a little more of. Webster’s Dictionary defines the word patient as:
“bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint, manifesting forbearance under provocation or strain, not hasty or impetuous, steadfast despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity.”
Sounds like something the Bible talks about. In fact, the Bible doesn’t just tell us to be patient, the Bible says that God will help us with our patience! How’s that for a great deal! Colossians 1:10-13 says:
“And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves…”
God will strengthen us with power so that we can have the endurance we need and patience to go along with it. Whether you’re standing in a long line today, waiting for the next green traffic light, or are waiting for news that’s hard to hear, remember that you can have that patience from God above if you just ask for it!
By the way, I did finally get one thing I was looking for at a store and I didn’t have to wait in any lines!
In His Grip!
Nathan
www.maackministries.com
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