Here’s something I know about God – He’s not a fast mover.Now, I imagine He could be fast.
For one thing, He’s God.
For another, He created fast, you know, the whole concept and then to illustrate it, He created cheetahs, sports cars, and barefoot runners from Kenya. (Yes, God created sports cars. I mean, look at them! How could NOT have had a hand in that.)
But, it’s as if He appreciates fast. He enjoys watching fast.
But He’s more of a mosey-er Himself. A wanderer. An evening stroller. A long quiet walk in the woods kind of God.
He is not in a hurry.
And I try to play along with that. You know, humor Him.
I pray over my desires, my plans, my requests and I tell Him I trust Him to provide in His time.
Then, I whistle and wait, pretending to be patient and trusting.
He sees through that every time.
When my daughter was little, the WORST thing I could do was rush her. I have actually seen the child move in reverse when pressured to move fast.
One day, I waited nearby as she prepared to leave the house with me. In the coatroom, I stood by silently as she laced her shoes.
“Mom, please, be patient.” she said, not even looking up from her task.
I feigned innocence. “I am being patient.” I replied.
Looking up at me with eyes that saw right through me, she stated, “No, you’re not BEING patient, you’re ACTING patient. It’s different.”
Yeah, God calls me on that all the time.
When I look back through almost fifty-two years of experience with God’s timing, I see how perfect it was in each circumstance.
But still, in the now, I shuffle my feet, fidget, and sigh as I wait for Him to move on my behalf again.
I have begun to understand there is a message in His slow pace.
Every time I go to Him and urge Him to move faster, I hear Him whisper back,
“What’s your rush, child? It’s as if you don’t believe we have forever.”
His tarrying ways are a challenge that if I believed in eternal life – truly believed it was mine,
right now, through Jesus Christ,
it would show in my pace.
Here’s to the long, slow walk home.
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“You’re not being. . . you’re acting.” Wow. Those are wise words.
Great thoughts.
My daughter is always the one to “get” me! She keeps me on my toes AND my knees. 🙂
Don’t you love “out of the mouths of babes” indeed?! I just spend a month with my oldest daughter who ‘gets’ me and her two boys, ages 6 and 4, now there’s a pair of pips!
I’m not even good at acting patient. I guess there is work to be done still.
In all of us, Pam!
“You act as though you don’t believe we have forever”! Hopefully our acting” or practicing will lead to our “being.” But God’s timing sure is a challenge, no doubt about it.
It is truly my goal to learn to live in a way that shows I know I have “forever.” Yes, it’s a challenge!
Wonderful post. Thanks. I KNOW it’s true. But I can’t always make my foot stop tapping. When does legitimate eagerness to see His Kingdom come become impatience with Him? Fine line?
I think impatience to be home with Him is an acceptable impatience – or at least an understandable one!
I just love it. There is time frame on earth, our daily chores and everyday thing….with God, it’s eternal.
gives you something to think about, doesn’t it?
your posts, every single one of them, always, always gets me to think deeper. I appreciate that. This one is also so very timely. thank you.
That means so much to me, Robyn. Thank you for taking the time to leave that comment.
In my own life, I have found that He tends to wait for me to REALLY wait for him, not just act like it, but to completely surrender to His timing, no matter how long it seems to take. Usually, I take quite some time to get to this point of surrender! Maybe His timing wouldn’t seem so slow to us if we were just quicker to get with the program!
Something to think about Jonnia.
Just as your daughter knew you were “acting patient”, so my daughter can spot the pretend in me every time–and usually lets me know. Do you suppose that’s God’s way of showing how transparent we really are to those who know us best? I’m trying to be real and “be” but it’s not always easy. Now I understand that I have eternity to work on that. Thanks! MOMMA