faithful – Alecia Stringer’s Devotionals https://aleciastringer.co Focused on the Lord Sun, 03 Sep 2023 19:20:23 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 https://i0.wp.com/aleciastringer.co/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-Photo-Apr-03-6-20-00-AM.jpg?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 faithful – Alecia Stringer’s Devotionals https://aleciastringer.co 32 32 193134782 Faithful to the End https://aleciastringer.co/faithful-to-the-end/ https://aleciastringer.co/faithful-to-the-end/#respond Sun, 03 Sep 2023 19:20:22 +0000 https://aleciastringer.co/?p=471 History contains examples of men and women who patiently endured pain and suffering – yet accomplished much. The great missionary to India Amy Carmichael was bedridden for years. Beethoven lost his hearing. Franklin D. Roosevelt lived with paralysis. Less well known, perhaps, is the story of the French Impressionist painter Pierre Auguste Renoir. Famed for his vivid use of color, Renoir struggled with painful rheumatoid arthritis, to the point where he had to strap a brush to his useless fingers to work. Watching him, Renoir’s friend, artist Henri Matisse, asked him, “Why do you continue to paint when you are in such agony?”

Renoir answered, “The beauty remains; the pain passes.”

When we, strengthened by God, patiently endure physical and emotional suffering, we can affirm the truth of Renoir’s statement. David’s song to the Lord in 2 Samuel 22:17-20 praises God for rescuing him from his enemies, and for leading him to a place of safety. Through his trials, when his very life was in danger, David remained faithful, trusting in God, knowing that God “delights” in His people.

Our pain will pass. But His beauty, as displayed through us, will remain.

Take time to pray and…

Thank God for the patience He’s shown you;

Ask Him to help you endure disappointment and pain;

Ask Him to help you model patience in your relationship with your spouse and others.

How often are you testingyour patience?

Reflect on these questions:

  1. On a scale of one to ten, how patient are you? How patient would your loved one say you are?
  2. What kinds of situations tend to try your patience the most? Why?
  3. How could your spouse help you recognize the beauty of God’s work in you? How could you do the same for your spouse?

Consider these passages for further study on patience:

Psalm 37:7-9

Be still before the Lord
    and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
    when they carry out their wicked schemes.

8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
    do not fret—it leads only to evil.
9 For those who are evil will be destroyed,
    but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.

Psalm 40:1 I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he turned to me and heard my cry.

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

Great thoughts of Gary Chapman as I evaluate how patient I really am because I endure a lot and it’s awareness of where to stand your ground. Keep learning from those who are patient.

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