PLEASANT WORDS FOR THE SOUL:  "Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door of resentment and the handcuffs of hatred.  It is a power that breaks the chains of bitterness and the shackles of selfishness."  ~ Corrie ten Boom.

WAITING ON THE LORD:

Isaiah 30:18 – And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you:  for the Lord Is a God of judgment:  blessed are all they that wait for him.

Patience is a virtue that most of us struggle with.   Sometimes I think it has to do with control.  Often our flesh wants what we want, and we want it now!  Patience involves acknowledging that God is in control and that he knows what is best for us.   Patience also involves waiting , and oh how hard that is for those of us who are so impatient.   But looking back over situations in my life in the forty plus years that I have known the Lord I can see that waiting was the best thing.   My husband, Tom, was saved immediately after he joined the Marines in 1962.  Very shortly after he was saved God called him to preach.  He wanted to begin Bible College right away so he put in a request for an early out from the Marine Corp.  The request was approved all the way to the Commandant of the Marine Corp and then the Vietnam war escalated and all requests for early outs were denied.   We were so disappointed, but as we look back over the four years “we” spent in the Marine Corp we know that they were invaluable years in terms of our Christian growth.  Even though we went on to Bible College later we learned lessons in those four years that could never be learned in Bible College.   And God put a love in our hearts for the military that finally led us to serving our U.S. military full time in Germany for over twenty years.  We can see how gracious the Lord was in making us wait and how He was exalted through it all. 

Are you waiting for an answer or direction from the Lord today?  Wait patiently for Him and be assured that He is in control and when the answer comes you will see His grace and mercy was at work.

Dear Lord, give me patience today to wait on you.  Help me to rest in the knowledge that you are in control and all is well.   In Jesus’ name.  Amen.