Long road trips are something that our family loves to take. We have traveled all over the western United States by car. Most trips have taken fifteen hours one way, but some have taken more. People asked us how our children did, and they were fine. We stopped enough for food and gas that it wasn’t too arduous. They often responded, “I could never do that with my family.” That may be true, but it makes you wonder how patient are you?
PSALMS 130:5
“I wait for the LORD, my soul does wait, And in His word do I hope.”
A Long Journey
The Psalmist has learned the value of being patient. This is another of the Ascent Psalms that the Jews would sing as they climbed the mountain to get to Jerusalem. It was a long, arduous journey that took patience on the part of the sojourner. They wanted to get to the temple to worship, but their soul had to wait for the journey to end. The trip from Galilee to Jerusalem taught them patience they would apply to other areas of their lives.
Evidence of Spiritual Fruit
Patience is becoming one of the least evident spiritual fruit. We’ve been trained to get what we want faster and at a lower cost. When we experience a delay, it produces frustration which we then take out on other people. Driver in front of you not driving fast enough? You let them know behind the safety of your rolled-up windows. Service taking too long at the restaurant? We let the server know through our paltry tip. It begs the question, “How patient are you?”
How Patient Are You
God wants to develop patience in you. Unfortunately, that often comes through on-the-job training. Very few people are born with a patient spirit. Most have to learn through trial and error. If you are experiencing a frustrating time where nothing seems to be going your way, it may be that God is trying to grow the fruit of patience in your heart. Stop for a second. Take a breath and pray. God will give you what you need.