The scripture stopped me cold. I knew EXACTLY what the Israelites were feeling. 

“Then the people of Israel set out from Mount Hor, taking the road to the Red Sea to go around the land of Edom. But the people grew impatient with the long journey” Numbers 21:4 NLT

That’s me to a tee! Impatient! Ready to BE there, wherever there is. Ready to be done with the journey, and get on with life.

Take writing, for instance. It’s hard work. It takes TIME. I’d love for the Lord to grant me divine revelation so that a post I’m working on would literally write itself. But I have to take the long road. Do the work. Put one foot in front of the other and write the words. Then comes editing and arranging them, so they make sense, tell a story. I have to dig deep to figure out my emotions and why I’m writing this particular piece. It’s hard and slow work. I want to be at the destination! Why can’t I write because of His creative revelation in me, instead of practice, practice, practice? 

And studying God’s Word. Why can’t I understand God’s Word through divine revelation from Him, instead of hours, days, years of studying? To really dig deep into God’s Words takes time. It takes dedication. It takes patience. And I’ve always been in short supply of patience. Anybody else?

 

I glance out the window and see my beautiful lemon and orange trees. They are full of blooms, promising a bumper harvest of fruit this year! Those blooms fill me with anticipation of fresh oranges plucked straight from the tree, juice dripping on the grass while we eat them outside. The lemons remind me I’ll be able to bring fresh lemon pie to our Christmas gathering. But not now. I’ll have to wait months to enjoy all the fresh fruit. 

Fast growth fizzles out too early. One year, I accidentally over fertilized my gladiolas. Instead of tall, elegant stems with bright fuchsia flowers, I had greenish brown stumps, stunted and wrinkled. Already finished, before they even began. Their leaves were scorched from the chemical. Burned out. 

Don’t burn out. Grow slow!

That’s how God wants to grow us. Slow and steady. Growth that lasts! While we are impatient with the long journey and not seeing instant results, He is patiently and slowly growing us to bear fruit. 

What are you rushing through? What shortcuts are you taking? How can you slow down and enjoy the journey you are traveling with the Lord?

Grace be with you,