[Faith-talk] Good Night Message for Sunday, November 11 2012

[Paul]

Well folks, it's that time again, time to bid hopefully for a while at least a fond adieu to the Lord's Day, at least here in North America.  The majority of the world is already enjoying a Monday morning or afternoon, depending on where on this planet you happen to reside.  I hope that you had good fellowship with the Lord and with each other today, whether that be in a local community house of worship, online or even listening to a local radio or TV church service.  This evening my sighted single Christian friend Susan and the undersigned went out to a local diner in her part of Baltimore City and, as usual, I ate too much, but don't tell my doctor, OK?

"Testing Your Patience" by Sharon Conners is the title of today's insightful article, rendered as follows:

We have all been there before.  Maybe it was a boss whom you could not please no matter what you did. Maybe it was a coworker who did not like you no matter how hard you tried. Or, maybe it was a child who always had an argument with you every time you asked him to do something for you.

I took on a part-time job a few years ago that tested every ounce of patience I had. I worked in a retail department store. At first, the job was wonderful, and it was great to get out of the house. I needed a change of scenery and a change of pace.

Unfortunately, the job turned out to be more of a burden. The hours were long, and the pay was not good, either.

On top of that, the store manager was unkind and very eager to point out anything that I or any of my coworkers did wrong. Because of her demanding nature, every department manager under her supervision experienced a great deal of stress. Her attitude was like a cancer that spread. The job was not about putting the customer first. It was about pleasing this woman and staying out of her way.

Even customers in the store picked up on the lack of attention paid to them. Workers were too focused on completing tasks that should have been placed second to the customer.

Just as this manager demanded so much from workers, so this world can demand so much of us. Remember not to put God second; place Him first in all you do. Just as the customer in the store should have been the number one priority, so is God.

In today's society, which demands so much from us in so little time, it is easy to get tied up in frustration. Sometimes we lose our patience and explode with anger or even rage. There is a healthier way to handle what life throws at us.

How do you get a grip on life? Fill up daily with the Holy Spirit. As we grow closer to God and allow the Holy Spirit to control our lives, we begin to produce His fruits in our lives. "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness temperance: against such there is no law" Gal. 5:22).

We need to develop patience and self-discipline. I have noticed this in my life. I no longer work at the store, but I thank God for the opportunity to grow more patient.

Thanks, Sharon for such a wonderful article. You and all contributors give us some wonderful writing to think about.  May this, preceding and following articles in the good night messages minister to you as they have to me when I first read them, with the Lord's guidance and the leading of the Holy Spirit.

And now may the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob just keep us safe, individually and collectively, throughout this night or day and especially in these last days in which we live. Your Christian friend and brother, Paul