patience Archives - Marissa Henley

God is Still Working {No Matter What Monday}

March 4, 2019 by Marissa Leave a Comment

Have you ever found yourself in a difficult situation that just keeps getting worse? In the short Old Testament book Habakkuk, we get to hear a conversation between the prophet and God. Habakkuk cries out to God because of the wickedness and oppression he sees around him and begs God to intervene (Habakkuk 1:1-4). Then the Lord replies:

“Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.” (Habakkuk 1:5)

This sounds like just the answer Habakkuk is looking for, right? But then we keep reading. God goes on to say that He’s going to bring in the Chaldeans (aka, the Babylonians) and that they are even more violent and wicked than the current Assyrian oppressors.

Wait, what?! I can only imagine the look on Habakkuk’s face as he absorbs this news: things are bad, and they’re getting worse.

Have you ever felt like God has abandoned you in your suffering? Maybe you struggle to see how He’s at work in your situation. You’ve prayed and begged and pleaded but it feels like God hasn’t shown up.

When Habakkuk hears this discouraging response from the Lord, he reminds himself of the truth of God’s character. He affirms God’s eternality, holiness, sovereignty, and love for justice (Habakkuk 1:12-17). He trusts God to work in a way consistent with His character.

This month we are going to look at the continuing conversation between God and Habakkuk. We will see what it means to live by faith in suffering. We will see the precious promise of God’s reign over all and the joy we have in His salvation.

But today, I want us to remember this: God is at work. It’s not always the answer we’re hoping for. But our God rules over the nations and over every day of our lives. He never stops working in a way that is consistent with His character. He is faithful in all that He does.

No matter what you face this week, God is at work even when things are getting worse.

Wait Patiently – The Lord is Faithful {No Matter What Monday}

August 28, 2017 by Marissa Leave a Comment

Last year, I let my kids stay up to watch the ball drop on New Year’s Eve. They were bursting with anticipation and constantly kept an eye on the clock as they waited for the big moment to arrive. We turned on the tv just in time to watch the sparkling ball descend and usher in the start of 2017. Then my kids turned to me with disappointed faces and whined, “Was that it?! That was the big ball??” I don’t know what they were waiting for, but the reality didn’t live up to the expectation.

Maybe you can relate. Maybe you waited for something you thought would be wonderful, and it turned out to be mediocre. Maybe you’re still waiting, and you wonder if your waiting will be worth it.

We’ve been talking about God’s faithfulness for the past few weeks. We’ve seen that God keeps His promises. We’ve learned that we can hold on to our hope and entrust our souls to our faithful Creator. Today we ask the question, “If we are convinced of God’s faithfulness, how should we respond?”

We find a clue in Romans 8:25:

“But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”

Are you still hoping for what you don’t yet see? Wait for it with patience.

We wait patiently with confidence because we know our hope will not put us to shame (Romans 5:5).

We wait patiently with peace because God knows what we need (Philippians 4:19).

We wait patiently with expectation because there will be a glorious end to our waiting (1 Peter 5:10).

We won’t get to the end of our wait and find disappointment. We won’t frown and ask, “Is that it?!” When we see the Father’s glory and His faithfulness to His children, we’ll find it was worth every second of our faith-filled wait.

No matter what you face this week, wait patiently because the Lord is faithful.

The Lord Will Bring Fruit from Your Suffering {No Matter What Monday}

July 10, 2017 by Marissa Leave a Comment

A few summers ago, my kids helped their dad plant a garden. Among the tomato plants and varieties of lettuce (all of which they will not eat), they planted one of their favorites—a strawberry vine.

But here’s the thing about strawberry vines: they don’t produce fruit right away. Nothing in the first season. You might see fruit a year later, during the second season. And when you’re just five years old, waiting more than 20% of your lifetime for a piece of fruit you could buy at the store this afternoon—well, it seems a little crazy.

In James chapter 5, suffering is compared to planting a garden. It takes patience and endurance, and at times it seems fruitless. But the Lord has a purpose.

James 5:10-11: As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

James says to take the Old Testament prophets as an example of patience in suffering. The lives of many of them, when taken at face value, look like dismal failures. Many of them were ridiculed, ostracized, or even killed. And yet, James says we consider them blessed. They had the privilege of suffering while proclaiming God’s Word and foretelling His promised Messiah. In their suffering, they put the Lord’s compassion and mercy on display.

James tells his readers they have already “seen the purpose of the Lord.” God has shown us the certainty of His compassion and mercy in our salvation. We can trust Him to bring beautiful fruit from our patient suffering.

No matter what you face this week, the Lord’s compassion and mercy are at work in your patient suffering.

Being a little girl’s mom

February 3, 2009 by Marissa 3 Comments

After a few years of experience as a boy mom, they tell me this one’s gonna be a girl. As excited as I am about buying pink, I’m a little nervous about this. (And not only because I spent most of my adolescence yelling hurtful things at my own mother.) The other day when I was praying for my kids and their marriages and future spouses, I was reminded again of the weight of responsibility that comes with raising a girl. When raising my boys to be godly husbands and fathers, I can point to their father and say, “Look at how hard he works to support his family. Look at how he helps me when he gets home and cares about spending time with you.” Thankfully, my boys have a wonderful example to follow.

But this little girl will learn the most about being a wife and mom from MY day-to-day example. What will she see? Will she see laziness and selfishness, or diligence and service? Will she see respect or resentment toward my husband? Submission or manipulation? Patience in disciplining my children, or a lack of self-control? Will she learn to be frugal and wise in her spending habits, or will she see me rationalizing and spending on my own desires? Will she see me seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, or will she see me seeking after the things of this world?

I am not perfect. There are sin patterns in my life that I know my daughter will see, and I pray that God will protect her from following when I am a poor example. I know that God is probably bringing a little girl into my life to provide even more accountability than my sons already have.Share