A Nugget from Sunday

We worshipped at Sharonville on Sunday. They're on the tail end of a series on Patience. The last message I heard in the series was "Patience with the Unknown." I could relate to it way too well. The nugget from Sunday was the simple phrase, "You have to be willing to be patient with the people you serve." I'm not very patient. Thank God this a gift from God that comes from remaining. Maybe it's the remaining I need to get better at?

What does it mean to remain? Being still, being with, being in? I'm better at and I probably hide in the doing...doing work, doing ministry, doing my Bible study, doing lunch, doing relationships. Am I really hiding in the doing afraid of what I'll find in the being? Doing (you name it) can be an addiction that covers up pain/shame in our lives. So here I am at 32 looking at my life, reading books and seeing a therapist. I feel like I'm at the museum looking at a painting worth millions that looks to me like a Kindergarden handpainting fight. My head is tilted and I'm going, "Huh?" I used to blame my inability to be alone, sit quietly, pray for hours, etc. on my personality. "I'm an extrovert--a people person. I draw my strength from being around people. Being alone wears me out." Could it be that being alone forces me to deal with me and that's depressing and scary--exhausting?

So what would Shrek have me do? I know...talk to donkey! Just kidding. I hear God's good at puzzles.