Pastor's Weekly Musing
Hey everyone!
I've always been in a rush. Even when there's nothing to really rush about, I'll still be in a bit of a hurry. I don't remember ever NOT being like that.
When I'm driving, even if I know exactly where I'm going, I like to pull up the directions on Google Maps, just to see how long it thinks it'll take me to get to my destination, and then I'll try to beat it. Childish, I know.
One of my earliest memories as a kid was my mom singing a song to slow me down, whenever I was in an unnecessary rush:
Have patience, have patience, don't be in such a hurry.
Have patience, have patience, no need for you to worry.
I never liked that song. I mean, c'mon, Mom. I got places to go, people to see, things to do. How am I going to squeeze it all in with you slowing me down like this? There really is no need for me to do all of the things, but I want to, so let's get moving!
My mom, ever so graciously, was trying to teach me (painstakingly) that there are things that are often more important than doing the things that I want: namely, the type of person I'm becoming.
Sometimes we need to rush, like if we're meeting someone at a specific time and running late or if there's an emergency, but most of the time, I'm just being impatient. I can do that a lot in my relationship with God. I know what I want, when I want it, and why I want it. So, c'mon, God, let's get moving.
And God has a funny way of singing that "Have Patience" song to me over and again. I love how the NLT version puts it in the book of Proverbs:
"Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes. People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the Lord." Proverbs 19:2-3
Oof, that hits close to home. That first verse makes sense: even when I enthusiastically press forward with all of my plans, I am my most mistake-prone when I'm rushing. I'll speed on the freeway, or overlook some important detail, or say something in haste that was hurtful or not exactly what I meant.
But that second verse, the one about blaming God: that stings, mostly because it's true. It's just easier to blame someone else when my life heads in a wrong direction, even when it's my fault.
Maybe God really does have my good in mind when He forces me to slow down. When He says in His Word, "Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act" (Psalm 37:7), He just might be looking out for me, for my good, and not just making me wait simply to make a point.
It's in that moment of waiting that I catch my breath, I can ask myself why I'm so worked up, I can see the bigger picture, I can hear God. Waiting can be a huge act of faith! It might not feel like it in the moment, just like little Ronnie didn't feel good about waiting on my mom to finish her song. But God is more interested in who I'm becoming, not just what I can get done. And sometimes making us wait is the only way to get there.
If you're in a waiting season with the Lord, take heart. Your patience is a part of His plan for you. You're becoming more like His Son.
I've always been in a rush. Even when there's nothing to really rush about, I'll still be in a bit of a hurry. I don't remember ever NOT being like that.
When I'm driving, even if I know exactly where I'm going, I like to pull up the directions on Google Maps, just to see how long it thinks it'll take me to get to my destination, and then I'll try to beat it. Childish, I know.
One of my earliest memories as a kid was my mom singing a song to slow me down, whenever I was in an unnecessary rush:
Have patience, have patience, don't be in such a hurry.
Have patience, have patience, no need for you to worry.
I never liked that song. I mean, c'mon, Mom. I got places to go, people to see, things to do. How am I going to squeeze it all in with you slowing me down like this? There really is no need for me to do all of the things, but I want to, so let's get moving!
My mom, ever so graciously, was trying to teach me (painstakingly) that there are things that are often more important than doing the things that I want: namely, the type of person I'm becoming.
Sometimes we need to rush, like if we're meeting someone at a specific time and running late or if there's an emergency, but most of the time, I'm just being impatient. I can do that a lot in my relationship with God. I know what I want, when I want it, and why I want it. So, c'mon, God, let's get moving.
And God has a funny way of singing that "Have Patience" song to me over and again. I love how the NLT version puts it in the book of Proverbs:
"Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes. People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the Lord." Proverbs 19:2-3
Oof, that hits close to home. That first verse makes sense: even when I enthusiastically press forward with all of my plans, I am my most mistake-prone when I'm rushing. I'll speed on the freeway, or overlook some important detail, or say something in haste that was hurtful or not exactly what I meant.
But that second verse, the one about blaming God: that stings, mostly because it's true. It's just easier to blame someone else when my life heads in a wrong direction, even when it's my fault.
Maybe God really does have my good in mind when He forces me to slow down. When He says in His Word, "Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act" (Psalm 37:7), He just might be looking out for me, for my good, and not just making me wait simply to make a point.
It's in that moment of waiting that I catch my breath, I can ask myself why I'm so worked up, I can see the bigger picture, I can hear God. Waiting can be a huge act of faith! It might not feel like it in the moment, just like little Ronnie didn't feel good about waiting on my mom to finish her song. But God is more interested in who I'm becoming, not just what I can get done. And sometimes making us wait is the only way to get there.
If you're in a waiting season with the Lord, take heart. Your patience is a part of His plan for you. You're becoming more like His Son.
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