Our Way Back Home

We used to have a miniature dachshund named Buzz. Buzz came with us to South Dakota one year when we went on vacation. We had a great time and were getting ready to come back home after a long week. The night before we left I grilled steaks. I gave the steak bones to the dog to chew on as a special treat. 


The next day we started for the long drive home, about nine hours. About an hour into our trek we smelled something awful. Being an Iowa farm girl I thought we must be driving by a hog barn. But I started thinking, there aren’t any hog barns in South Dakota.

Suddenly I knew what it was…..the dog! It was the bones I gave him the night before making him sick. We had to stop often and smell that horrible smell. Each hour seemed like ten hours. 

My husband got very upset, it took a lot of patience on everyone’s part to deal with this situation. Nine hours in the car with a sick dog…..ugh!

There are many times in our lives when we need patience. God thought that patience was so important that he made it one of the Fruits of the Spirit. 

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self control” Galatians 5:22 


Often in my life I have prayed to God and expected him to answer me right away. More often and not it turned out to be years before he answered me. This reminded me that God answers on his time, not on our time. 

“Wait for the Lord, be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord” Psalm 27:14

Some instances in the Bible where patience was shown is the book of Job. You’ve heard of the patience of Job? He lost most everything and still stood firm in his faith in God.

Abraham. He waited 25 years for the promise of a son.

Jacob. He waited seven years for his loved one, Rachel, and found he had to wait another seven years to marry her. 

God always answers prayers, it may not seem like it sometimes but just keep your faith strong in him. Ask God to grant you patience, read the Bible, engage in a regular prayer life and rely on the strength of the Holy Spirit to keep your strength in God. 

Patience is very difficult, especially when talking about your prayer life. God will answer you, just be patient. 

Dear God, I ask you to grant me patience. Please be with me while I pray to you for help. Amen


 

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