endure the wait

Patience in Chinese is naixin (not to be confused with naixi, that's "milkshake").  If we take the two characters of naixin to create a definition of patience we get "a heart that is able to endure."

It is hard to endure waiting, especially when it feels like we are waiting and waiting and waiting.

When I was a child we had a song about patience on one of our tapes; it belongs to either Psalty or Down by the Creek Bank.  To this day, I sing it to those around me--young and old--who are having difficulty enduring a wait.

Have patience, have patience.
Don't be in such a hurry.
When you are in patient you only start to worry.
Remember, remember, that God is patient too.
And, think of all the times that others have to wait on you!

On my own I am not a patient person--my sin nature wants things done in my timing.  It is only through the work of the Holy Spirit
that I am able to endure the wait.

Holy Spirit, cultivate in me a heart that is able to endure waiting . . . waiting for a husband, waiting for a time to go home, waiting for students who are late and trains that aren't on time, waiting for my turn to be the SHAM.  Help me to wait with hope for the things I cannot see (Romans 8:25).  Help me to be patient in all things big and small.  Help me to be more like the Father. 

But, do you wanna know what I think is most beautiful about patience?  It is that God is patient with us.  Oh how patient he is with me! 

And, daily I thank him for his patience with the Taiwanese.  I thank him that Christ hasn't returned yet, and ask that he continue to be longsuffering  . . . "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).

I love this section of Scripture: "But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the [worst sinner of all],
Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those
who were to believe in him for eternal life.  To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever" (1 Timothy 1:16-17). 

Oh, praise His holy name!

This post was submitted to the Carnival of Beauty sponsored by following an unknown path.  This week the theme is The Beauty of Patience and is being hosted by Ellen at MzEllen & Co. Join us next week for The Beauty of Kindness over at Cahleen's In His Footsteps.