Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
This week, I took my car in to be repaired. Toward the end of the work day, I called to see about the car and was told it was not ready and that it "might" be ready the next day.
There was a time that would have upset me. But this time it didn't. I told the mechanic that was no problem at all to me.
Another happening, I have a covering (drape/curtain) over the sliding glass doors in my bedroom and the covering which keeps out the light is operated by a remote control. My cat knocked the remote off the shelf onto a hard floor and broke the remote. I really didn't care if the blind was raised. So for 2 or 3 weeks I did nothing about the remote. But my cleaning woman likes to raise the shade when she cleans so she has more light in the room so finally I decided to replace the remote. I had to take it to a business that is a dealer for the manufacturer of the drape. They had to send the remote to the manufacturer. I thought no more about it. This week the decorator who works for the business called to see if I had received the remote "yet". I replied I had not. She was disturbed because she said I should have received it. I was not disturbed at all and replied, "Oh, it will come." In a few minutes the phone rang again and it was the decorator telling me she checked on the remote and it was on the UPS truck and would be delivered to my house that day. I thanked her but I really didn't care. Late that afternoon the remote was delivered. I put it on my desk unopened. It is still there unopened. The cleaning lady is due in Monday so that will motivate me to open it.
Then I was reminded of a scripture ... let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. James 1
I realized a change in me ... I was experiencing the godly fruit of "patience".
I have never been patient before. I always wanted things done immediately. What an interesting fruit.
I don't know how all this happened. I certainly wasn't aware of seeking patience. It happened without my recognizing it was happening.
It is like so little really matters. Humans think things are so important but most of the time these things are not important.
There is something very bad about trying to be so perfect and precise in things of this world. And just living simply is good.
I have a wheelchair that sits in my kitchen. Each morning I make coffee and fix toast and put this on a tray and put the tray in the seat of the wheelchair and roll the wheelchair with the food to the room where I have my computer. This morning I was thanking God that I have the wheelchair that enables me to do this. Also the handles on the wheelchair make walking so much easier for me. (I am partially handicapped due to an accident and operation.)
There was a time I would not have allowed an "ugly" wheelchair to be in my kitchen this way. I would have purchased a nice looking tea tray that rolls and used that. Actually when I began thinking of transporting coffee pot to theater room as I do now, I looked on internet for a tea tray to use and remembered the wheelchair and decided to try that and it works perfectly.
The cabinets in my kitchen have basic foods such as crackers, peanut butter jar, chips, jelly, honey on top of cabinet. I did this after I was injured because it was so much easier for me to get my food. But now that I am "well" I still leave it there. It is just so much more convenient.
There is something good about not having to be so perfect in these worldly things that don't matter. It is the difference between knowing what matters and what doesn't matter.
I suspect a lot of this has to do with the fruit of patience ... not having to have things "perfect" in this world.
When you see a fruit of the spirit working all of a sudden in you, I think you can be sure that somehow you are following the Spirit of God and that is such a great comfort and also a great reward.
let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. James 1
godliness with contentment is great gain. I Tim. 6
Another thing that I do daily ... I read the writings on our blog (internet) several times a day. I read the writings even before I get out of bed most mornings. (I have an e-reader which allows me to bring in internet) Then later in the morning, I read the writings again. Then usually I read them again later on in day. And sometimes I read them before going to bed. Somehow I think this is providing a base for me that is good. It may even be contributing to the surfacing of some of the fruits of the Spirit in me as I am describing in this writing. I just know something "good" is happening to me by re-reading the writings we publish.
It may be connected to the following:
Psalm 1 ... Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. Isaiah 55
Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 13But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; Heb. 3
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 24And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 26For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, Heb. 10
These daily exhortations provide a work in us against the evil that precedes the day of the Lord, for in the end times Paul says evil men and seducers will wax worse and worse. (II Tim. 3)
========================================================================