Tuesdays in "other" Words

"He [God] is very patient with us when we are trying to be patient with Him."~ Elisabeth Elliott ~

I am truly amazed at how patient God is with us. A few years ago I was impatiently waiting for God to release me from a ministry assignment. I was working 70 hours a week between my ministry job and my counseling practice. Things were changing at the church and my workload was about to get worse. I just knew that it was time for me to quit and focus on my private practice. And I was sure that God would agree!

I sat in one of our denominational meetings on a sunny day in June prepared for that to be my last responsibility to the district. Unfortunately every word I heard that day, in songs, in sermons, in my reading, from others told me that my time at the church wasn’t finished. I was NOT a happy camper! The problems seemed insurmountable. We were about to start a Saturday night service and I was already out of the house 4-5 evenings a week. Our secretarial staff was overworked so I had to do most of my own paperwork. I was done! But, God had other plans. I sat that day arguing in my spirit. I finally gave in…but not before I told God that I didn’t know how it was going to work! I remember saying, “Ok, God, I’ll stay, but I have no idea how you’re going to make this work…you’re just going to have to get creative!”

Oops…did I just tell the creator of the universe that He needed to get creative? As I said, I am truly amazed at how patient God is with us! I walked into the office the next day and the secretaries were sitting behind their desks. As I walked through the door one of them said, “We don’t have much to do today; do you have anything you want us to do for you?” (What a creative God!) And as I walked down the hall to my office I passed the executive pastor’s office. He stopped me to talk about the upcoming Saturday night service. I told him my concerns about being out of the house one more evening a week. His response was, “I don’t know why you would have to be there.” I had to say, “OK, God…I get it! You are in charge!”

I’m still amazed that God didn’t hit me with a bolt of lightning that day. He must find us amusing at times if not exasperating in our impatience. Thank God He is VERY patient with us when we are trying to be patient with Him!

Check out these In "other" Words here.