Patience waits...

I've been working through "Living Beyond Yourself" Bible Study by Beth Moore, which is all about exploring the Fruit of the Spirit. I'm doing the workbook on my own and then listening to the audio cd's of her teaching, and working at my own pace, which is pretty s-l-o-w.

I think one of the reasons that I've been so slow is that when something kicks me in the rear (which is pretty much everything in the study) then I really want to take the time for the Lord to deal with me on it. I still have a loooonnnnggg way to go, but He is speaking truth and I'm just praying that it goes from my head right to my heart.

The latest tail kicking has been on patience. Oh boy! I'm not the most patient person. When I want something, I pretty much want it now. So, to say that it has not been easy to wait 5 years on a baby would be a huge understatement. Sigh...

But, God opened my eyes to a different aspect of waiting through Beth's teaching on patience. She broke down the concept of having patience in circumstances and having patience with people. Oh boy, again!

One of my favorite lines from the teaching is "Patience waits, when it wants to whack." Hahaha!!

Do y'all have difficult people that you have to deal with? Umm, I'm guessing that at least one or two people just popped into your mind. I know that I can think of a few! Well, have you ever considered that God has put those specific people in your life for a reason? And, that reason is to work on you?

Yeah, kinda hurts your feelings a little bit to hear, doesn't it?

Are there people that just bring out the worst in you? Ahem....YES!!! Once again, God may have "assigned" those very people to you. Not only do they bring out the worst in us, but they keep us from thinking too highly of ourselves and they keep our pretenses from working.  They are supposed to!

"God will provoke situations and people in our lives that bring out the worst in us SO we will let Him deal with it." Ouch. That will make you think a little bit, huh?!

I cannot tell you how close to home this hits for me. I can't really talk much on the blog about this situation, but there is a person that God has put in my life who absolutely brings out the very worst in me, and I can't stand it! This person is like sandpaper and they just rub me the wrong way. But, you know, over time sandpaper is bound to make something smooth. And oh, how I pray that God would change ME!


Oh God, I pray that You would refine me. Bring my worst to the surface and get rid of it. I pray that You would get me to a place that these people and situations would bring out the best in me. God, I know that you are committed to bringing up the worst in me, so you can bring it out. Please do a deep work, Father. I cannot walk this way apart from Your Spirit. Please fill me to the full so that your love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control would overflow from my life. Only You can do it!