Spotlight on Patience

A friend of mine not too long ago told me a story about a day trip he took with his sister and nephew to the beach. As they wandered the sand, the toddler dropped his pacifier. His mother quickly picked it up and proceeded to wash it and clean off all the sand before she handed it back to her son; the child all the while loudly complaining and calling for his accessory. My friend then went on to say how in that moment he had seen a picture of what we so often are to God. Desiring the thing we know we want, and sometimes even sense just out of our reach, we can be loud and complaining to our Father God- calling for immediate attention and gratification. While God is making ready the things He has for us, we impatiently grab and tantrum through our emotional gales and endless imploring of "why?!?" Never mind that His timing is perfect, and His plans are greater than our imagining. We want it NOW, dern it!
Patience can be one of the most difficult virtues to come by. (I certainly am NO master.)
It isn't simply the process of deferring ones hope, but what to do in that time while waiting- that can be the most difficult to understand. How does one act in patience?
In Luke 8, Jesus tells the parable of the sower. If you're unfamiliar with it, you can read it at biblegateway.com Lets look at verse 15.

And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest. ~NLT

But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance. ~ NASB

But as for that [seed] in the good soil, these are [the people] who, hearing the Word, hold it fast in a just (^[a]noble, virtuous) and worthy heart, and steadily bring forth fruit with patience. ~ AMP

But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. ~ KJV

There is the promise of fruit. But in order to produce fruit, we are called to take the word of the Lord to heart. We are to keep it and cling to it, hold fast to it. It's not only to be something we use as a reference, tool, and guide, but something we have a sense of dependency on- to hold fast, purposefully bonding ourselves to and relentlessly digging into. With the word we are to take it, and live out lives that are just, noble, virtuous, honest. In fact, it is the word that enables us to have any of those qualities. It is by searching and living out the word of God that we can persevere. It is only after living this life of patience and perseverance that we can hope for and expect fruit - which we are indeed promised.
So my time while I wait for the things God has promised me is to be filled with me searching the Word of God, and living it out. It's as simple as that. Trusting His perfect will and timing. Letting Him refine the things out of sight that I seek.
So in the moments of doubt, the question isn't so much "What is He DOING!? with my life? Where are the things He's spoken to me?" but more "Am I living as I'm called to? Can I say I cling to and keep the word of the Lord in my heart, mind, body, thought and deed?" Or am I just a toddler throwing a tantrum for a dirty binky that's being prepared for me? If I did get that binky at the exact moment I demanded it, my mouth would be filled with sand and other unpleasant things.

His timing is perfect.

Be patient.