"Passionate Patience"

For at least a month, I have been regularly reading and re-reading Lamentations 3 from "the message", with particular focus on 3:25-27.

Lamentations 3 is a chapter that is familiar to many. It's a chapter that refers to God's "faithfulness". There's an old hymn that I am familiar with that sings the words, "They are new every morning, new every morning, Great is Thy faithfulness, Oh Lord." 

The verses that really stood out to me over the last month, however, say this, "God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the woman who diligently seeks. It's a good thing to quietly hope, quietly hope for help from God." 

What is really ironic to me is that in almost the very same breath, the author writes how God's faithfulness is NEW every morning followed by encouragement towards waiting and seeking. In some ways, that could seem like an oxymoron. Every day, is faithful. Yet wait and seek. This reminds me that God's faithfulness and my ability to see the whole picture of His plan are not one and the same. Despite my total blindness, despite my total uncertainty, despite feeling overwhelmed, He is DAILY orchestrating my life, faithfully. 

Just because I cannot see, just because I am waiting, does NOT mean he is not Faithful.

I NEED that reminder!

I have also been reading through the New Testament. I'm currently in Romans. I have spent two days on Romans 5, with particular emphasis on Romans 5:3-5 (message) because it says, "We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary - we can't even round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!"

There's that reference again "passionate" waiting/patience followed by the idea of hope/expectancy. When I saw it, I had to stop, flip over to Lamentations and re-read it. So if you read the two together you get this message (Jessica's understanding):  We have troubles. But during those troubles we should feel thankful (and shout praises) because we are developing passionate patience. And God is GOOD to the person who passionately waits. While waiting we are learning to expect from God, because He is FAITHFUL to generously pour into our lives. So keep hoping"

I know I took some liberty with the words... but I really do feel like that is what it means. I think the verses kind of complete each other because they confirm what the other is saying, and add a little to give more clarity to the bigger picture. 

I love it. I love how I can depend on His faithfulness. And in this knowledge, I am hopeful. My future is bright, as the child of God.