PRAYER FOCUS PATIENCE – Pray October

PRAY OCTOBER

31 Days of Scripture, Reflections, and Prayers to bring us closer to the move of God in our midst.

Prepared by Pastor Calvin Cook

Day 10: Prayer for Patience

Scripture:  Romans 12:12  Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Praying for patience. Today is a tough one! Confession time: Believing that God does answer all prayer, answered prayer for patience is tough to receive. I fully believe that there is a desire for hope, to be patient in tribulation through being constantly connected with God through prayer. However, this seems to be one of those areas that we all struggle with. Receiving and exhibiting patience in all things.

I confess I am a microwave person. I want to put something in the microwave, push 30 seconds, take it out and it is just the way I want it. Instant gratification. But God does not always work that way. Sometime realized answers to prayer are almost instantaneous but other times they are answered in different seasons, ways that are not to our understanding, and always according to God’s will.

In the waiting period we need to embrace a great holy patience. There is something that I have been praying for, for many years. I know God hears my prayer, I know God will answer my prayer, but still I wait. I am so assured that the answer to this prayer will happen, but according to God’s timing and good and perfect will. There once again is the struggle because I want a microwave response.

We are all like those black iron skillets. After every use we need seasoned. Seasoned with God’s abiding love, faith, hope, peace and so much more. It will be this seasoning that will create patience. If we don’t allow the seasoning to happen, we end up a mess. Just like in cooking on black iron if it is not seasoned, everything will stick, and we end up with a mess.

I’m praying seasoning of my own wretched life to be made whole my patiently enduring everything. Not being satisfied in the situations that drag me down, but being patient that God will make a way, I must be willing to follow.

Prayer:  Father, help me to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. I pray for direction from the pit of despair, and I will patiently wait for you and receive that which you want to do in my life. In Jesus name, Amen