The Upper Room devotional reflection for Saturday, June 25, 2022 comes to us from Glynis M. Belec of Ontario, Canada.
16 Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me. 17 I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue. 18 If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; 19 but God has surely listened and has heard my prayer. 20 Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!
Psalm 66:16-20 NIV
“Patiently Trusting”
Renovating a house can be fun, but it can also be a test of patience. My husband is an experienced carpenter, so he is able to do most of the work. I am not a professional decorator, but I know what I want. Sometimes friction arises between us when he has a vision in his head and I have picture scribbled on paper. He tries his best to create what I want. Sometimes as I observe the process, I wonder if really understands my vision. But if I wait long enough, my husband does get it right. Although it can be a challenge, I am learning to trust more and control less.
“Trust more and be patient” is probably a good approach for other areas of my life as well. I still make foolish choices, and sometimes my decisions are not exactly what God would want me to do, But God is patient and kind. And God loves and forgives me. I’ve discovered that if I trust that God is in control, it’s easier to be more patient. When I do that, God has this remarkable way of bringing all things to fruition.
Friends –
I am sure that most, probably all, of us has had experiences like Glenys Belec’s, either with a spouse or someone else who is close to us. I truly appreciate Glenys Belec’s reflection that patience and waiting often lead to a good outcome. I confess that this is not a strength of mine. I certainly could learn to take a breath, wait, and trust God with results. I invite you to consider circumstances in which you would benefit from waiting with a little more patience. Would God’s perspective be helpful in your decision making?
--Pastor bea
Prayer:
Dear God, you know our weaknesses and our eagerness to get things done. Teach us to have patience and to trust you in all areas of our lives. Amen.
--Glenys M. Belec
Prayer Focus:
Spouses.
Thought for the Day:
Today I will try to control less and trust God more
The end of the matter is better than its beginning and patience is better than pride. Ecclesiastes 7:8 (NIV)