The problem with patience...

     I want to begin today by telling everyone reading this that I am not a patient man.  I learned long ago to not ask for patience as you get trials.  Hence the late post today.  Actually, I was dealing with other situations today and the blog had taken back seat.  Now that the crisis are over and calm has returned to my home and life I am able to write.  That is until the next crisis.  That's the way it is with patience.  We pride ourselves (first mistake) on being able to handle the situation that we should have given to God and left with him (second mistake).  We then attempt to repair damage, adjust thoughts and feelings and move on with life (our third mistake).  Mistakes, mistakes, mistakes all lead to frustration, frustration and more frustration.  At least for me.  Those of you out there who are perfect may disagree.  Of course I do learn from the mistakes.  At least I like to think I did until I find myself repeating the same mistake in the same manner with the same results.  Insanity is what that is called.  Patience doesn't have "insanity" in it's definition.  I checked.  I know that my life can and has been run by the seat of my pants before.  Many times I have succumbed to explaining to others how God didn't tell me to do it this way.  He told me to do it differently but I knew better.  Pride, then is not an element of patience either.  No, we cannot and should not be proud of our patience.  Pride shouldn't be in the equation at all.
     I don't know about you but I have taken the sacrifice off the alter more than I have left it there for God to deal with.  You know how you pray and tell Jesus it's too much for you to bear, that it's solution is unknown to you and how the worry won't do you any good.  So, like me, you leave it on the alter and forget to remove the tether from your ankle and you drag the thing back off the alter, out into the street and into your car.  You realize a block down the road that there seems to be something hanging you up and look beside you and there it is, the problem. Since it's there beside you there is no need to take it back.  You repeat this day and day out like stopping at the coffee shop for a cup of coffee and donut.  The repeated independence from God begins to grow on you like the fat around your gut from to many donuts and not enough exercise. What to do?  Be patient, I'm getting there.
     The third problem we seem to not want to do without surfaces in our everyday life.  We get so used to "everyday" life that we fail to see that we haven't moved out of the rut we've been living in for eons.  People know us and begin to predict our behavior.  "That Steve, prays well but doesn't mean it."  "He has no peace but won't acknowledge God is the author of peace."  Substitute your name if you like.  Patience is what God is best at...at least when it comes to dealing with me.  The Word says he is patient and long suffering not wanting that any man should perish.  His mercies go on forever and his love endures even longer.  So, the problem with patience is me and not someone else.  The problem is I choose to keep my problem.  The choice is always mine...and yours.