Friday, May 14, 2010

Patience

Christ was prepared eighteen years prior to the time His ministry would begin.  He stood by ready, and "waited upon the Lord for the time of his ministry to come."  (JST Matt. 3: 24-26.)

Prepared and waiting.

Patience.

Even the Lord, who was "more intelligent than them all," waited.  (Abr. 3: 19.)

The Lord's counsel to all is that they must not "run faster than they have strength."  (Mosiah 4: 27; also D&C 10: 4.)

There is no rush to receiving an audience with the Lord.  When it happens it is always in His own time, His own way, and according to His own will.  (D&C 88: 68.)

We must ask.  Then we wait upon Him.  If He waited, what makes you think you are entitled to rush ahead without paying a similar price to develop the necessary patience in waiting on the Lord.

Abraham was promised children, but waited decades to receive the promise.  Anna and Simeon were promised they would behold the Lord's Messiah, but were both well stricken in age before He came.  (Luke 2: 25-38.)

Patience.

Recognize the Lord alone will determine the timing.  Our responsibility is to trust in Him and await His will.  We can ask, seek and knock.  He cannot respond unless we ask, seek and knock. But having done so, then we trust in Him to decide when He will make Himself known to us.

9 comments:

  1. I think also expecting or looking for the Lord to communicate or reveal in just one certain or specific way might cause a person to overlook or miss important things.

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  2. Had a question. Denver, is there ultimately one specific way the Lord grants an audience?

    If I had to guess I would say the way the Lord reveals himself is unique and diverse, but the outcome of the audience is the same. Would that be correct?

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  3. Denver, Sometimes your posts seem like a Direct Answer to Prayer. It made me laugh when I saw the patience post. I know the Lord and the Spirit have a sense a humor, and laughing at a obvious answer is part of feeling the spirit for me. I have felt that the Spirit at time like a friend that says "DAA, I been telling you this how long, and so and so says something and you listen?". Maybe I am weird, but the Spirit is like a friend to me, we can kid each other, and we know what each other is thinking.
    Patience is wonderful, and as you said, who am I?
    Thanks again.

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  4. Thank You so much for this bit of insight. Yesturday I was feeling anxiety about this very subject and I opened up your blog this morning and read this. I feel a lot better. I think I can handle patience better than anxiety.
    Annette

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  5. I forgot to acknowledge the Lord in my last email. He is so good to answer my prayer through you today.

    Annette

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  6. I love this Denver, for it has application not only in seeking an audience with the Lord, but EVERYTHING. Every question, every problem, every heartbreak....seek, ask, knock....and then wait upon the Lord according to his timing. Tough lesson to learn sometimes, but we all must learn it. I have....and I am still learning:)

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  7. Yes how I love to be PATIENT!

    I would add what we received, from Pres. Uchtdorf on patience.

    http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-1207-20,00.html

    His talk hit me like a lot of bricks.

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  8. JR Morgan I loved that talk as well. Especially when Pres. Uchtdorf talked about Patience being a gift of the Spirit. That opened a lot of doors.

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  9. Lord, please send me patience and send it now...

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What Say You?