Squirming Out of Patience

ALL – Psalm 116:1-19
ALL – Proverbs 27:23-27
OT – Ezekiel 35:1-36:38
NT – James 1:1-18

Interesting passage for the day: …for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. So let it grow, and don’t try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete. – James 1:3-4, The Living Bible

Thought: We do try to squirm out of our problems, don’t we? And I guess it’s not a bad thing to work to solve our problems, but sometimes we try to squirm out of our problems in less-than-helpful ways. When facing problems head-on and trying to overcome them in honest, upfront ways fails, and we realize we’re trapped, then comes the squirming. The problem with squirming and trying to weasel our way out of our problems is that it leaves our patience muscles undeveloped.

Sometimes life is just tough. And there’s no honest way to get around what’s tough. There’s crime. There’s apathy. There’s playing dead. But none of these helps. What helps is realizing that we’re not just waiting on circumstances to change, but on God to care for us…and that He’s trustworthy. Because He’s trustworthy, I can be patient, and if I can be patient, I can be ready for anything. I know that God is with me.

And it will be obvious to others soon enough.

Question: Can you be patient when others pressure you to rush? Can you wait on God when others say there’s no point to waiting on Him? Will you be patient even though it hurts?

To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.

For Them

ALL – Psalm 80:1-19
ALL – Proverbs 25:1-5
OT – Jeremiah 14:11-16:15
NT – 1 Thessalonians 2:9-3:13

Interesting passage for the day: We can bear anything as long as we know that you remain strong in him. – 1 Thess. 3:8, The Living Bible

Thought: There was another school shooting Friday (google “Kelly Elementary School shooting”). This time it was some crazy man, shooting at elementary kids. Thankfully, none were killed, and several construction workers reacted quickly to subdue the man.

I would do just about anything to protect kids from a shooter—at least, I hope I would. Especially my own kids. To keep my kids strong and healthy, I wouldn’t mind the risk (and possibility) of suffering.

I think that’s kind of Paul’s thought here. His spiritual children were facing persecutors—grown-up bullies. And Paul couldn’t get there to help the people he loved. So he was just in agony. But then he was finally able to get the news that their faith was still strong. And the news that his spiritual children were healthy was enough to set his heart at ease, even though the circumstances that had kept him from getting to them were still in place. He could put up with his own troubles if he knew that the Thessalonians were doing ok.

Question: Is there anyone for whom you would go through just about anything to make sure of their spiritual safety? What is keeping you from helping them grow closer to Christ right now? What are you free to do to help them?

To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.