Patient in Affliction

It’s not the greatest feeling when something is out of your hands. You don’t feel good.  You sit helpless and hope in time things will be okay. Meanwhile, you only do things that will help you. You do your part. You follow instructions. You listen carefully.  During that time, you actually welcome wise council.  

Then one of two things can happen…

It doesn’t happen. All you imagined slowly fades out. Those prayers change tone. People around you feel sorry for you, in that quiet, inexplicable way. They don’t have words for you that you haven’t already heard. You can be mad, demand justice. Explain to God why you’re entitled to something He chose not to give you. You can live your life in a defeated way. Even lose your faith when it doesn’t go how you thought it would.  What is there to look forward to now that nothing went “right?”  All you hoped for is over.  You cry. You try to think of what you did to deserve this. Why didn’t God help you? 

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.” Isaiah 40:28

You were not created to understand everything. You were not born to be in control of your own life. You were born for a purpose.  God crafted you and gave you breath, and He knows why. He knows what you want and what you need. And He understands your fear because He sent down from heaven to earth His son Jesus Christ and felt it Himself.
When you no longer understand, God is in full control. When you’re absolutely confused and broken, He has the opportunity to be completely sovereign in your life. To say “God, I have nothing” is one step away from saying to the Lord “apart from You, I have no good thing” (Psalm 16:2). 

I think of my life as a tunnel sometimes. Even when I can’t see the light, I know that it’s there. I keep moving forward in the darkest places, absolutely certain that my Light will greet me in the end. It will be blindingly, gloriously bright. My hope doesn’t fade.  You always have God. His love is eternal and present. He may not give you the answer you demand, but His love and mercy are proven by the very breath you’ve just taken.

“For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” Isaiah 41:13

The other outcome…

You get stronger.  Somehow in all the waiting, it happens! You have this incredible joy! You realize that God gave you a miracle. He gave you something you couldn’t get for yourself. He chose the circumstances, He weighed the struggle, He decided you were ready and it was in His time. You can turn and fill your heart with pride. You can think “yes, finally, I deserved this, this is fair” and let your miracle turn ordinary.  Let God’s hand in your life become a statistic, a matter of the odds being in your favor. You consider yourself lucky.  You boast to yourself and others “I am blessed” and forget the biggest part of it all. You reject God. You take the credit. Over time, as you go on living your life, you will undoubtedly take for granted that very miracle. You may even become so blind that you demand more.  You forget that you have nothing good apart from God.

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Now which of these is better? Which of these brings growth? Which of these make you throw your hands in the air and fervently seek God?

Whether you are being patient in affliction or you are a patient in affliction, I wrote this so you could see it both ways. Can you see it? When God makes you wait, He wants you to draw closer to Him. To praise Him the entire time, not just when He says “here you go” and you take off with your smile that will eventually wear off. God loves you so much. He wants your faith to grow and be tested. He wants you to develop perseverance. You would gain nothing if all God ever said was “yes.” Try saying “yes” to everything a child wants for a day and see what a mess it is. Imagine what that child would turn out like if it was raised with only “yes” and “now.” What would this person know? What would this person really have? Could you believe their faith? Wouldn’t you say “you only have faith because you get what you want?” 

“Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?” Hebrews 12:7

Praise God for loving you so much that He says no.
NO. No you can’t have healing. No you can’t have your child. No you can’t have a job. No you can't have a marriage. No you can't have a home. No you can’t have that loved one. No you can’t.  You can have nothing good apart from Me. I'm your Creator, I'm the reason you're here. Worship Me. Yearn for Me. Love Me with all your soul, and heart, and mind. Leave every desire for anything else behind, and follow Me.

Be fervently grateful for the miracles in your life. Your health, your family, your job, your children, your very meals. Somewhere, somebody is desperately crying out to God for something you have right in front of you.  Will you only remember Him if it’s taken away?