I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. Psalms 40:1-2 NRSV
Have you ever noticed how the memory of the end of something is more precise than the experience? For example, the birth of a child. The mother carries the baby for nine months. She may have morning sickness or other complications, and though the delivery may take hours when that precious babe arrives, the joy of the event supersedes her previous discomfort. She is even willing to go through it all again to have more children.
It is hard to be patient when we are going through an ordeal. We want deliverance now! As we know from experience, it often doesn't work that way; the trial lasts until it's over. While we have no control over the timing, we can take refuge in the promise that God hears our prayers and will answer.
At the end of the trial, our memories are not of hardship but of deliverance. From our experience, we have a testimony of how God brought us from "the desolate pit, out of the miry bog," setting us once again on solid ground. So, when the subsequent trial rolls around–and they always do–we find it easier to face the waiting, secure in the knowledge of the past.
God our Deliverer, thank you for all the times you've heard our cries and answered our prayers. With the wisdom of those experiences, we can confidently face the coming trial. Though there will be waiting, we know you walk alongside us, and when the time is right, you'll deliver us. Help us to be patient and trust fully in that time of waiting. We pray for all those amid trials right now that they find peace in your promise. In Christ Jesus, we pray. Amen.
Blessings,
Pastor Tim
