The Root of Patience: (from Out of Solitude)
Simone Weil: “Waiting patiently in expectation is the foundation of the spiritual life”.
Interesting, the root of the word ‘patience’ is in the French ‘patior’ – meaning ‘to suffer’… if we are not patient, then we are just thinking wishfully’. That reminds me of life coaching teaching – that a goal without a deadline is just wishful thinking (hence why I make so much use of do.com)!
Blessings Fall on the Faithful: Hebrews 6:9-12. Diligence, faith and patience – these are good to demonstrate to inherit the promises. My brain always whirls around the question of ‘grace’ as it wars with my ‘protestant work ethic!’ … we are saved by grace, but out of grace it’s likely that we’ll demonstrate the above, and the other fruits of the spirit?
Prayer: “Make the challenges on our spiritual journey into opportunities to say “yes” to your love.” Obstacles becoming doors … yes, I can see that. The last 3+ years have been pretty hard, and I would love a day when I’m just not really tired, and not still seeing a pile of things ‘to do’ (I am chipping away at my backlog), but I can see how many of the hard choices (that I didn’t want to make) have really been doors to new ways of living… We keep going a day at a time – or often a few seconds at a time – and those all add up to something amazing! It’s a great way of ‘living in the now‘ apart from anything else – although not the way that I would have chosen!
Advent Action:“Advent is marked by a spirit of expectation, by watchful alertness.” Hmm, make plans for contributions of service to others/positive changes to your spiritual life – although leave space for God’s input. Well– I’m doing this for advent, and then have a diary ready for January to start doing my ‘thankfulness’ again, and think I’m going to work my way through The Voice a chapter at a time.
Now off to read Pam’s thoughts on Day 2. (This post written 3rd December)
