June 14-Even if it’s Broken

Happy Thursday! God has such a sense of humor, doesn’t He? Yesterday, I spoke about waiting and patience (like I’m some sort of expert!) and a few minutes later, my program for sending devotions couldn’t get it together so what normally takes me about two hours, took a little over three. Patience. And then, later when I had places to be, my car quit—and not in a convenient place (like at home or at a mechanic’s garage)—and it was 120 degrees, I’m sure! Bless Aaron’s heart for coming to my rescue. Patience. Waiting. Mercy. Both times all I could think about was “I’m going to be more careful tomorrow when I write!” 


Doesn’t it always happen though? Just about the time you think you have a handle on something, here comes along a big mess to test you. And I’m sure you handle it better than I do, but I don’t score so high when I hit these exams. My usual thought is “You have got to be kidding me!” 


But James tells us

“Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.”

‭‭James‬ ‭1:2-4‬ ‭MSG‬


You will become mature...

Sometimes I think I’m like that 15-year old who one minute acts perfectly adult and the next is pitching a fit like a 4-year old. None the less, this I know, I’ve a long way to go so that when my faith is under pressure, I always react as I know I should. 


I’m certainly not mature enough to count it all joy when things just fall apart and it seems as though my world is collapsing. But that’s exactly the reacting that we are told we should be having as mature believers. I am getting better. I can smile through most of it and even laugh at it all. He has been so so good to me that a little technology issue and dead battery can’t really do much damage, but it does remind me that the things of this earth are completely temporary and not where we should invest our hope and trust. 


Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for the grace you extend us and for the patience you have with us as you grow us into mature believers. Help us to remember how good and kind you are to us. You are the one who forms the mountains, who creates the wind, and who reveals his thoughts to mankind, who turns dawn to darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth- and you take time to teach each of us. The LORD God Almighty is your name. Amen and amen. 


Love you dear friend,

Pam

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