Patience is a Virtue (And a constant battle!)

Patience: the ability to wait calmly for something to happen without complaining or giving up, the capacity for calmly enduring difficult situations (source: http://www.freedictionary.com/)

It's easy to say patience is a virtue, but I find that statement to be an understatement. I beileve that if someone is able to be completely patient then that is more "God-like" than just a plain old virtue.

It's in GOD'S HANDS!

I have been struggling lately to process that fact in my mind. I have to realise that no matter what I do to try and shape my life - the effort is futile.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." ~ Jeremiah 29:11

Notice how He doesn't say "For I don't know the plans you have for yourself but hopefully it will turn out ok".

If we are able to allow Him to direct our lives and go to Him when we are not sure what to do then everything is going to be just fine.

Good plan - sounds simple.

If only it were simple! If only we could call God on his mobile and ask him "So I don't know where my husband and I should settle down, can you just tell me what to do?"

I truly believe that God has a plan for us and if we are faithful then we will be able to follow through with that. I also believe that when we are not faithful and try to take things in our own hands we will faces challenges and be dissatisfied.

I long to hear God's voice and feel peaceful with decisions that I make and in order to do that I need to learn how to meditate. However when I try I find that my mind is still going a mile a minute. Along with many other things in my life that I am trying to improve (to be closer to God) this one will take some serious time and effort.

I want to start proposing some challenges each day, mostly for myself but also to challenge anyone reading this!

Challenge #1: Meditate and listen. Some good advice I recently found was that we shouldn't be setting a time each day to spend with God (penciling him in to OUR schedule) but throughout the day we should be meditating and spending time with God. (By the way I learnt this from the IBLP daily success emails, you should really sign up!) Another good practice would be to keep a journal and each day write down what you asked God about and if you feel you were given any direction.