I waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure. Psalm 40:1-2
Offsides and illegal procedure penalties are frequently the result of a lack of patience. But, it is really difficult to be on the mark ready to burst and to be patient for the right time. It’s just hard to be patient! It does not come naturally to most of us.
Have you ever thought back on times when you actually were patient? Most likely, the patience was the result of something good that you knew was coming up. You were patient because you knew that being pushy would hurt the relationship and that waiting would strengthen it. You were patient because not being patient with that injury would cause you to be injured longer. You were patient because you knew that waiting would bring you greater joy.
When you are feeling like you are in the pit of destruction or the miry bogs of life, don’t you just want to put all of your effort into getting out? Frequently, however, that increased effort only takes you deeper into the pit and bog. You feel like you will never experience secure steps on a strong foundation of rock. At that point it is easy to give up hope as well.
Do you see what is really happening here? The only way to get out of the pit or bog is to focus on your savior and not on the situation. We so easily get obsessed with our circumstances--all that really does is make us more desperate. In that desperate hour, we must remember that we have a sure foundation in Jesus and that the only way we are going to get out of the mess is to cry out and wait patiently for Him. He likes to make breakthroughs in the lives of His people. You will face pits and bogs during this season. When you do, be patient before anything else, look to Jesus, and see how he rescues you and breaks through what is holding you back.
Where do you need a breakthrough? In what area of life should you be crying out to Jesus? Is there habitual sin from which you need to be rescued? Is it laziness, pride, porn, anger, lust or something else? Cry out to Jesus. Call for him and wait patiently. He wants to break through with you!!