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Big Girl Pants

 

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. (Romans 12:12)

As I look at the first part of this verse, the thought that comes to mind is that there are some people whose only joy in hope is in the revenge and the destruction of others. With Bea Arthur, they say, “God will get you for that,” and with others, they say, “Karma’s gonna get you” and what they don’t say but mean is that they will watch and smile.

But, that’s not the important idea to this passage. The important point is that what we are supposed to do in just about every situation is the opposite of what we are inclined to do. Abraham and Sarah waited 25 years after they were promised an heir.

It’s easy to be joyful in hope, for a few minutes or a few days. It may even seem possible to be joyful if the thing we’ve hoped for is delayed, but not for long. But long times of joy in hope are what Scripture calls for. In Hebrews 11, many of those commended for their faith died without seeing the thing they were promised.

Similarly, when we are feeling attacked, overwhelmed, or pitiable, it’s not easy to be patient. We need help, and we need it now, and why can’t God do something helpful? We don’t want to think that way, but if God helped David and Joshua and so many others, and this is hard! But God calls us to be patient.

And finally, we’re told to be faithful in prayer. This one is especially hard for me. I don’t tend to remember when God had answered with a “yes.” I remember that He hasn’t answered the way I want Him to. Why bother to ask? But then I feel guilty, so I end up finding a safe prayer: “Thy will be done… wisdom, direction, and attitude,” because if I’m wise, if God is directing me, and especially if God fixes my attitude, then it won’t bother me that God doesn’t do what I want Him to. Do I keep praying, fervently praying? Or do I stop praying for important things and start praying for something safe? Or not stop praying?

These things we’re supposed to do are all hard things. As some would say, they are things that require that we put on the big girl (or big boy) pants and do what doesn’t come naturally.

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