Why Waiting Patiently is Super Important to Our Faith
Inside: Waiting patiently is an important characteristic of being a Christian. We need to be patient during suffering and trials and willingly endure our slow growth to be more Christ-like. We can learn lessons during these waiting times if we ask God for wisdom as we endure!
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Every night, my ten-year-old son sleeps with ice packs on his feet. It’s a ritual, each night he asks, “Mom can you go get me an ice pack.”
Throughout the day, he is limping and complaining about his heels hurting. Basketball and football practice can have him in tears, and this momma feels bad for him. I can see him becoming discouraged as the other boys run around without limps.
After two podiatrist visits, his condition is called Sever’s Disease. Basically, the feet grow faster than the growth plates in the heels and they remain open. This “opening” can cause soreness and even fracture the bone sometimes. Eventually, it will close, usually around age sixteen.
So, why am I telling you this?
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Make the Pain Go Away
My son’s condition reminds me a lot of how I act in my own life. When hard seasons come, the suffering and pain can cause me to limp and complain. I’ll want God to do something and ease the strife.
God, please take this!
I will pray to God to make my life different, make my faith stronger, and more apt to handle the hard circumstances.
Honestly, sometimes I’ll go as far as doubt Him and His promises He has for me.
As a Christian, I have the expectations that trouble will be short-lived and not hurt very much. However, the reality is the Christian life is peppered with hard trials and circumstances.
I’m Not Much Different Than the Israelites
In the Bible, the Israelites also grumbled about the extent of their problems.
So Moses told the people of Israel what the Lord had said, but they refused to listen anymore. They had become too discouraged by the brutality of their slavery (Exodus 6:9, NLT).
They were tired of the long season of their misery and didn’t want to believe or trust in what God could do for them.
Here’s the thing, God kept His promise to them and brought them out of Egypt and slavery. The Israelites were grateful to Him until they hit the next hard thing. It’s important to realize that God was using these seasons to grow the faith and trust in the Israelites.
Growth doesn’t happen without pain. #growinginfaith #Christianlife Share on X
The doctor prescribed daily exercises, ice packs, and heel inserts for my son’s heels. Time was another part of the healing plan; my son would have to be patient and wait while his bones catch up.
The doctor reassured us, growth is happening, even when we don’t see it.
In a culture where everything is fast, waiting for growth is hard. Change isn’t always fast and being patient isn’t an inborn trait.
5 Truths about Patiently Waiting for Faith Growth
- We need to exercise our faith; especially during hard times.
- We might have to repeat the same test again and again.
- Through mistakes, we learn the right way.
- We will have good days and bad days.
- New growth takes time and patience.
It’s important to remember, faith is growing even if we can’t see it. #faith Share on X
Our faith growth isn’t all about what we do, but about what God is doing inside of us. We can’t grow it alone, we need God’s help.
Additionally, we will continue to grow in faith our whole lives which is going to require patience and endurance, just like how my son’s heel growth is going to take the same.
What Can We Do As We Await Faith Growth?
- Read the Bible (Romans 10:17).
- Ask God to increase our faith (Luke 17:5).
- Join with God in daily prayer.
- Do what God says (John 14:23, James 2:1).
We can’t except the best growth if we don’t follow the suggestions of our God.
What we can rest securely in is this; God will finish what He starts in us. #livinginfaith #trust Share on X
6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
God’s word doesn’t say He “might” continue His work, but He “will” continue his work. We can rest assured that we are growing and will someday reach the finale.
Change will Happen
God keeps His promises even when times are hard and we feel like He’s not helping us. Even when we can’t see any visible change, or feel any internal change.
My son has accepted that his pain will be for a short time period and eventually his heels will catch up with the rest of his feet. Until then, he’s helping his feet grow by following the doctor’s suggestions. He knows eventually there will be no more pain!
Patience is very important – sometimes, it’s harder to do than just to say it
My husband had a similar condition when he was in his teens. He grew so fast that his bones in his feet needed time to catch up. He was so impatient that he ended up shattering his heel bones and couldn’t play football for a whole season. He learned a patience lesson! You are so right, through mistakes we learn the right way! I love how you point out that our spiritual growth isn’t all about what we do, but what God does inside… sometimes that take more time than we think it should! <3 Patience is hard, but so vital!
Katie- Wow! That’s what our doctor said to watch out for heel cracks. Patience is hard!
Truly nothing compares to the glory revealed after we have persevered in faith. ????????
Angel- Amen!
It’s harder to wait many times than it is to just go ahead in our own strength
Andrea- yes, to this!
I broke my foot this past summer and felt God prompting me with many of the same lessons you share in this post. I have a tendency to always be looking for “the next thing I can DO” instead of slowing down and recognizing how God is molding who I AM. Thanks for the reminder to trust God’s timing and to pay attention to what’s growing during the waiting.
Amy- I’m glad you also learned these lessons! Yes, slowing down is hard in our culture of 100 miles a minute!
Julie, it always amazes me how God teaches us so many things through the our daily walk of life. Change is hard at times and so is growth, but it is always worthwhile, in the end. I love your insight and hope your son grows quickly! – Amy
http://stylingrannymama.com/
Amy- yes, He does teach us, but we have to be observant to the lessons!
Ouch! I’m sorry your son is going through that pain right now. I appreciate how you are relating it to waiting on God. What a great lesson for him and us to learn.
Kristi- thank you for the sweet words!
Poor buddy! You’re so right, too, Julie – patience is so important but hard. I feel like my family is currently in a season of “right now”. Kind of a is what it is season in our life. My husband and I both know it’s not going to be this way for the long term for for the next few years at least this is who our life is going to be. And it can be hard. But I know there will be growth in many ways!
Melissa- praying for your family! Patience is hard, but if we want growth we need to reach out to God and ask for his help!
Praying for your son… And thanks for the great reminder..Usually we are restless, demanding and complaining..But we should always trust God how harder the situation is..
Sara- it’s easier to complain and demand! Only through the hard times, can we find such great faith growth!
That sounds so painful. I had really bad growing pains throughout my childhood and teens. It was terrible. I love how you related this to waiting on God!
Sarah- I’m sorry you had such pain! Thank you for the sweet encouragement!
Wow, thank you for the powerful post. I know I need more patience in my faith; although often I just wish there was a magic button.
Erin- we couldn’t grow in faith with a magic button 😉
Love these reminders! I really don’t like to wait but I am learning how important it is.
Thank you, Kira! I don’t like waiting either!
Me I’m tired of waiting. I’ve had to endure pain all my life. I can’t just bear it any longer
Patrick- praying that God will infuse you with new strength and perseverance!