As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience. Luke 8.15
Amongst the people I routinely spend time with we all seem to currently have family situations for which we regularly pray for one another for patience and reliance on the Lord. New kittens. Aging dogs. Boisterous kittens and dogs. Kid’s schedules. Young adult kids. Mature adult kids. Siblings at odds. Reading glasses. Moving. Health challenges across all ages of our extended families.
Patience is not something I come by naturally. It has been, and still is, a work in progress. In the Lord’s Word bearing fruit with patience is the produce of hearing and holding fast with an honest and good heart. Holding fast to what is true and certain. Like the value of practicing patience. Lord, help me be more patient with my family, with my circumstances and my friends’ circumstances. Help me be more patient toward You, Lord! Trusting You are working through all (ALL!) things, for the gospel message to be shared and accepted and lived victoriously.
On a recent visit to my parents’ home, my dad watched me play Solitaire. I learned this card game for one player from Dad; he taught it to all four of his children. Teaching us such a game was probably an attempt to separate and quiet his prone-to-bicker-when-two-or-more-were-gathered children. My English friend, Miss Beryl, called the game Patience.
Now 88, my dad is slipping further into dementia which makes each visit a little more bittersweet. There is not much evidence of the gruff and tumble guy I grew up with. He engages with us very little, with very few words. His facial features are not often animated.
That evening, Dad stood across the kitchen table from me watching as I laid out the cards and began the process of aligning them, strictly by chance, red over black over red, king toward two, aces up top. I deliberately slowed down my play and watched him watch not me, but the cards. After a couple of false starts, the hand I was dealt seemed promising and Dad pointed to a card that would be a strategic move. I smiled and acknowledged his suggestion and made the move. He smiled back and gave a little laugh of audible triumph. Continuing slowly, I made a couple more moves and soon Dad pointed to another good candidate for our next move. After I made the move Dad had suggested, he looked up at me and his smile was one of success as he clearly, and with a bit of Dad-attitude, said, “Told you.” And then he retreated to the living room couch which is his nest these days.
Tears slip down my cheeks as I think of the Dad who was there to play Solitaire with me, just for a few minutes, on that sultry July evening. Patience.
It is worth the effort. Life lived with grace, no matter the circumstances, can only be the outcome of immeasurable gratitude for the patience the Lord has shown to me as I so often make a misstep or speak before thinking. Patience.
To whom will you grant some patience this week? My prayers for patience are for each of us awaiting a loved one’s realization to turn and follow Jesus. May we not waver in our confident patience that the Lord is able and just and faithful to complete His work in each of us.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5.22-23
Trusting the Lord with you, Colleen