by guest blogger Yvonne Ortega Patience must be a four-letter word. Aha, I found it. It’s yuck! Maybe you feel the same way I do more often than not. I understand. A NEED FOR PATIENCE I faced a mountain of paperwork each day as I worked on my taxes. I wanted to start them early, but the proper forms didn’t arrive until the week before my tax appointment. In a marathon to finish, my neck hurt, and my shoulders ached. My lower back screamed for relief. My neck felt as if someone glued it looking down at the monitor. Talk about a need for patience to continue. What kept me going? A deadline. There’s nothing like a deadline. When snow, rain, or ice appeared, I didn’t mind staying indoors to finish. However, a couple of warm, sunny days in a row came along, and patience became a four-letter word again. Yuck. Opportunities to Practice Patience
A woman rushed to get ready for the arrival of her daughter and son-in-law. She experienced a dizzy spell and passed out. After this happened again, she spent time in the hospital and in rehab because of a heart problem and surgery. She learned not to ignore warning signs and received daily opportunities to practice patience. God tells us, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience” (James 1:2–3 NKJV). The Result of Endurance The irony of tax season is some of the online days, such as March 22, National Bavarian Crepes Day and National Goof Off Day. How can we go for curbside delivery of Bavarian Crepes or prepare them at home, goof off and meet our deadlines? God also addresses that situation. “But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1:4 NKJV). Another problem day is March 24. It’s National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day, National Cheesecake Day, and the National American Diabetes Association Alert Day on the fourth Tuesday of March. I enjoy almost any fruit or vegetable dipped in dark chocolate. You may delight in the cheesecake. How do we reconcile those sugary items with National Diabetes Association Alert Day or National Triglycerides Day on March 28? The Way to Get Perseverance Since we can’t reconcile the words above, we have to choose. Our first choice is to walk in the flesh. We can deceive ourselves and celebrate National I Am in Control Day. Our second choice is to “Walk in the Spirit, and [we] shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16 NKJV). How do we get what we need to make the right choice on a more consistent basis? For the answer, let’s circle back to the book of James. Through the inspiration of God, James says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind” (James 1:5–6 NKJV) I will ask God for what I need. What will you do? Yvonne Ortega walks with a small footprint but leaves a giant imprint in people’s lives. Multi-published and multi-interviewed, she shares her struggles to empower women to find peace, power, and purpose through God’s Word. Her latest book is Moving from Broken to Beautiful® through Grief. See more at https://yvonneortega.com/writing/ Copyright © by Yvonne Ortega March 17, 2021
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