Patience and Trust
Patience and Trust
By Alyson Taylor
The brunette girl behind the counter shook her head apologetically. “Oh, I’m sorry; we just ran out of Cool Wraps. We’re getting ready to make some more right now, so it’ll be about five or ten minutes. Would you like to wait on a Cool Wrap, or would you like something else off of the menu?”
As I stood at the Chick-Fil-A counter, my mind folded over her words while my tastebuds and stomach waged a silent war. I had been craving a Cool Wrap ever since my hike earlier that day (there’s nothing like a nice fresh Cool Wrap after a tough hike!), and I really was not in a hurry to grab my food and go. I had a good book with me, so the idea of sitting down for a leisurely lunch was just what I needed. However, it felt like years since my tiny breakfast that morning and the smell of fried chicken had been tickling me from the moment I walked through that fast food door.
“No, I’ll just get a regular Chick-Fil-A sandwich.”
It’s so easy to settle.
Don’t get me wrong, regular fried Chick-Fil-A sandwiches are delicious and wonderful. Put just a dash of mayonnaise and sriracha on the bun, and I am in heaven. However, on that day, at that time, the entire reason I went to that Chick-Fil-A was specifically for a Cool Wrap. I had begun with my heart set on one thing, but when I found I had to wait, I immediately gave up on it.
Do you struggle like I do? Sometimes patience can be a big battle, especially when it comes to long-term things. Back in middle school, I started praying for a good friend of mine (we’ll call her Julia) to come with me to church and hear about Jesus. I knew that Julia didn’t believe in God and that her entire family were atheists, and it absolutely broke my heart. For several years, I prayed hard for Julia, her parents, and her sisters. However, once we graduated from high school and went to different colleges, it became harder and harder to pray for her.
To be honest, I think I was a little upset at God for not answering my prayer. I needed to remember that God is sovereign - He is in control of all things and knows the best timing for all things. Julia and I are still friends, and as far as I know, Julia still has not accepted Christ. However, being devoted to praying for her regularly is one way that I practice my trust in God.
Patience and trust: two things that are so easy to talk about, but so hard to put into practice.
There was a movie I watched recently called “The Big Short.” In this movie, there is a man named Michael whose job was to invest other people’s money. Over the years, Michael had proven himself to be very wise with money and eventually managed over $600 million. I think it’s safe to say that people trusted Michael deeply with their money.
In 2005, Michael discovered a new way to invest money based on the idea that the housing market would collapse. At the time, this seemed like a crazy idea to everyone else, but Michael assured his investors that if they were patient and would continue to trust him with their money, they would make a huge reward in the end.
At first, the investors trusted Michael. But as time went on and no reward appeared immediately, they started to doubt him, to doubt his plan, to doubt his wisdom. Years went by. They started complaining. Towards the end, many of his investors left his business and took their money out. They couldn’t keep up the combination of long-term patience and complete trust. If only they knew how Michael’s plan would turn out! Once the housing market did collapse, Michael’s investors made over $700 million in profit, and Michael himself personally made over $100 million.
We have a Heavenly Father with a magnificent plan for our lives, who desires to prosper us, to give us a hope and a future and eternal security… things even $700 million can’t buy.
He asks us to trust him and invest our lives in him - not just today or tomorrow or on Sunday mornings, but at every moment of every day. Even when we have doubts. Even when His plan seems crazy to the outside world. Even when we’re so focused on the short-term that we cannot see His long-term plan.
We are to be steadfast, like it says in 1 Corinthians 15:57-58… “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”
Are there any areas in your life where you struggle with this? Is it a battle to stay away from physical temptations before marriage? Is it hard to be patient when you see a friend or loved one who is sick? Have you been hurt in the past and find it hard to trust that God is faithful?
The apostle Paul struggled with this idea, too. He confided to his Christian friends in Rome and wrote to them, saying, “For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:22-25).
In our modern culture of immediate reward and instant gratification, it is so tempting to settle for what the world offers, but those of us who choose to trust God are called to patiently wait for His will and His timing. Stay strong, sisters!
Alyson Taylor lives in Marietta, Georgia with her husband and son. While her days are filled with chasing a toddler, tutoring math, and baking cookies, Alyson strives to focus her heart and mind on God's truth.
“Please leave a comment. We love when our girls/women write how they relate to this piece or share any Scripture/wisdom they have on this subject. Thank you.”