Patience does not come naturally to me. It is a learned behavior. One of my earliest memories as a child is my father quoting Luke 21:19, “Karen, ‘In your patience possess ye your souls.'”
The Bible is clear; we must have patience to receive the promise. “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise” (Hebrews 10:36). The Bible is equally clear that trials help me learn patience. “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope” (Romans 5:3-4).
When I give my problem to Jesus, I am trusting Him. Being patient with God proves I trust Him. Do I trust God to take care of my situation the right way and at the right time? When I completely let go and turn something over to God, why should I stress and worry? Wonder, perhaps, but not worry!
Sometimes our children make wrong choices. No matter how far they have gone from God, as long as they have breath, we must pray for God to continue to nudge, deal with, show mercy, and give them opportunities to repent. Do not give up. Should our death come before our child repents, our prayers are a memorial before God (Acts 10:4). He still acts on prayers prayed.
Do I trust God with my children? Wait! Aren’t they His children? Didn’t God trust me to raise them? Can I trust God enough to lay my wayward children at His feet? When they were young, my children would cry over a broken toy and expect me to fix it. Once they handed it to me, they whimpered, but never tried to snatch it back or throw temper tantrums while waiting. Why can’t I trust God like that? Didn’t God put the universe in place? Didn’t He create the food chain? Didn’t He think of everything when He created the human body? Why do I think He can’t handle my problem?
Didn’t God anticipate and think of a redemption plan before one was needed? Didn’t God take care of His prophets when they were persecuted? Doesn’t God know when a sparrow falls? Why do I think He doesn’t care about my problem (I Peter 5:7)? I may not know how or when He will answer.
What I do know is God: 1) is in control; 2) has my best interests at heart; 3) will answer; and 4) will do right by me. “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved” (Psalm 55:22).
BY KAREN (BERNARD) HATCHER
Karen was raised in South Korea by missionary parents. She began teaching Sunday school at age ten and church band at sixteen. She and her husband, Charles Hatcher, pastored until retirement in 2009. Karen currently owns A Better Mail Service and is very active with the city of Gonzales, Louisiana. The Hatchers attend Centro de Vida in Gonzales.
Reposted with permission from Ladies Prayer International.
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