|
Listen to this devotional: |
Listen while you read: "A Child Of The King"1 (Lyrics) |
Patience may be a virtue, but it wasn't one that I was honoured with. When I was younger, it was common for me to purchase an item that I wanted just prior to my birthday or Christmas. This incensed my grandmother and mom. Earlier, they had heard me say that I wanted this particular thing, and they had already purchased and wrapped it for the occasion. Proudly displaying what I had bought meant that they had to take their purchase back. In fact, my practice became so common that as Christmas drew nigh, they would drop a hint: "Now, don't go out and buy _________." Age has afforded me more patience, but it's still a virtue that I struggle with.
So did God's people who had just exited 400 years of slavery.
Exodus 32:1 – When the people saw how long it was taking Moses to come back down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. "Come on," they said, "make us some gods who can lead us. We don't know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt." (NLT)
In the people's minds, Moses was taking too long to receive God's commands. Things were progressing too slowly. Something must have happened. So they commandeered his brother for assistance. He took their gold jewellery and fashioned a calf and told them, "This is your god."
Impatience causes me to run ahead of God. Any time I get ahead of Him, I'll mess things up, because I step outside of His plan or at least the timing of it. Doing this is not necessarily an intentional sin on my part, but it is sin nevertheless.
Getting ahead of God's plan for me prevents me from learning the important lesson of waiting on Him. This, in turn, often leads me into the trap of believing the "I can have it all" and "Don't wait" lies.
God's plan is always superior. Our challenge is simply to wait for it to unfold and then to follow it when it does. Has impatience led you astray?
Prayer: O mighty God, give us the faith and patience to follow Your plan with the assurance that it's always better than any plan we might concoct. Amen.
Forward this devotional Share this devotional on Facebook Like PresbyCan on Facebook
Although PresbyCan doesn't have a mobile app, you can still have a PresbyCan icon on your mobile phone home screen. 
Thursday, April 18, 2024 – In East Asia — Pray for more partners who become trainers in our house church planting network in East Asia. We are asking God for around ten of these trainers for each district in our region. May the Lord grant them courage in their next step of faith.
Prayers for Tom: "April 18, 2024: Update on Prayers for Tom posted on Sunday, August 6, 2023: Tom is still undergoing..." 
Thank you for your words. Blessings.
Who likes to wait? Not me! But you made your point well!! Thank you.
Good message and reminder Martin,
I can relate to your experiences and to the children of Israel. Sometimes we are too impulsive.
Martin!
Thank you for a look at impatience.
And taking it to God!
It is a new day by the grace of God!
Great devotional Martin! Patience was never one of my strong points either so I appreciate this encouraging message. I’m trying to take one day at a time and trusting God for His timing when it seems that some of my prayers have gone unanswered.
Blessings.
I like you am a little ahead of my Master with His plan for me. Usually, I say He has a plan for me which is better than mine and I must realize He has been in the business much longer than I and His distance from us gives Him clarity.
Hope you have a really good day according to your Master’s plan. I have enjoyed other of your articles in the past.
Dear Sir,
I have been blessed by this piece.
No wonder it is in God’s own time that he makes all things beautiful and we only get to understand God’s works in our lives from the end.
Thank.