Are We There YET?

By Christine Cain:

Today I am flying home from Memphis with my girls, and Sophia came into our room at 7:30 this morning asking, "Mommy and daddy, how long will it take to get home from Memphis? Is it a long drive to the airport? Is it a day flight or a night flight?" (Remember my kids have traveled with us around the globe since they were born, and gauge the length of a flight based on whether it is a long night flight or short day flight.)

The point of this story is that we had not even left the hotel yet, and Sophia wanted to know when we would arrive at our destination. And I have no doubt that we will soon be going down the runway, and she will lean over and whisper, "Mommy are we there yet?"

I am smiling as I anticipate her question and simultaneously wondering how many who are reading this blog have quietly whispered in their heart to God, "Are we there yet?"

God, when am I going to find a life partner...are we there yet?

God, when am I going to get my breakthrough...are we there yet?

God, when am I going to get my promotion...are we there yet?

God, when will I reach my goal weight...are we there yet?

God, when will I get my ministry breakthrough...are we there yet?

I want to encourage you today to simply rest in God's love and trust His perfect timing in your life. God is a good God.

And if you look at your life right now and think God is doing nothing, realize He is actually preparing you for the thing He has prepared for you.

There is always more going on than what you can see. If what you see is all you see, then you will never see all there is to see.

You will not make the journey any quicker by asking God every five minutes, "Are we there yet?" If you are a parent, then you know the only thing achieved when a child asks this question over and over again is frustration.

So today...
Breathe
Trust God
Remove any obstacles from your progress
Wait for your breakthrough

At the appointed time, and in the due season, you WILL reap if you faint not. (Galatians 6:9)

I believe your breakthrough is coming. Hang in there and let patience have its perfect work in you. You will lack no good thin

Outrageously affluent in the currency of kindness, tolerance, and patience.

Scotty Smith:  A Prayer about God’s Kindness Leading Us to Repentance

Do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? Rom. 2:4

Heavenly Father, I’ve seen many crazy things in my life; I’ve encountered a few crazy people; and I’ve certainly done my share of crazy things. But the most certifiably insane thing I do is to show contempt for the riches of your kindness, tolerance, and patience toward me in Jesus. I do this when I bow my neck, dig my heels in and refuse to follow your kindness into the green pastures of fresh repentance. Have mercy on me, the sinner.

The GPS of the gospel will never direct us to a destination of harm but only to a place of greater freedom and health. When we fight humbling ourselves; when we refuse to acknowledge the ways we love poorly, act immaturely, rebel openly; when we say “No!” to grieving our attitudes and actions that rob you of glory and us of grace, this is sheer madness. Showing contempt for your kindness is the ultimate destructive folly. Have mercy on me, the sinner.

Father, I praise you today for being outrageously affluent in the currency of kindness, tolerance, and patience. There’s no economic downturn in heaven—never has been, never will be. But I don’t presume on the bullion of your loving-kindness. It’s only because Jesus willingly endured the judgment I deserve that I’m in a position to be dealt with so mercifully and graciously. It’s only because he took the bankruptcy of the cross we get the inheritance of your grace.

Father, thank you for kindly leading us to humility, not to humiliation; to shelter, not to shame; to repentance, not to penance. For when I repent, I’m not the one making promises for change—you are. Only you can change us, and you are changing us, for you have covenanted to do so. That’s what the gospel is all about—simply collapsing upon Jesus, once again, as our perfect righteousness and sure hope of a new and changed heart.

So this morning, kind Father, I repent. I repent of not trusting that you are at work in my current irritating circumstances. I’ve looked at the weaknesses of others more than I’ve kept my eyes fixed on Jesus. It’s been easier (and at times more satisfying) to gossip than to pray. I’ve been moping about and plotting like an orphan, rather than rejoicing and trusting as a beloved son.

I’ve been more preoccupied with the ways of broken men than thrilled with the occupied throne of heaven. I’ve acted as though I care more about Jesus’ church than he does. How arrogant. I repent—because the gospel is true and you are so kind, I repent. So very Amen I pray, in Jesus’ merciful and mighty name.

Taking a Long Time to Boil

By Max Lucado

"Love is patient.” I Corinthians 13:4

The Greek word used here for patient . . . means “taking a long time to boil.”

Think about a pot of boiling water . . . Water boils quickly when the flame is high. It boils slowly when the flame is low. Patience “keeps the burner down.”

Patience isn’t naive. It doesn’t ignore misbehavior. It just keeps the flame low. It waits. It listens . . . This is how God treats us. And, according to Jesus, this is how we should treat others.