Why Patience should be a Priority in your Expression

Do you believe we are all interconnected? With the butterfly effect that Edward Lorenz theorised, “he concluded that a simple movement like that of a flapping of a wing by a butterfly gives rise to a tornado somewhere else”. This could mean there is a connection between us all. For example, I could do something here that could have a profound affect on another person who is in another place.

Well… I think I’ve experienced that this week. During the week, I shared a picture of a drawing I had finished for friend. It was of the word “patience”. As my friend was exploring patience, the Lord began talking to me about patience too, and I thought that once I had completed the drawing and shared those insights with you, that would have been the end of my journey on patience….but it wasn’t.

The Lord has continued to show me more about patience all week, and some of it has been really eye-opening, quite a revelation. But before I continue, click here and have a read of the post I made during the week about patience, then come back here and we’ll keep going.

In the post, one of the things I talked about, was wondering how my impatience has really affected, and possibly altered, some of the outcomes that have come to pass in my life. Have I missed out on developing friendships or experiencing something meaningful because I have been impatient? I really sensed that this can be the case.

When you are impatient, you are unable to tolerate delay. All of your attention is on being seen by the doctor, or meeting that deadline, or wanting that order to arrive etc… and as a result, things that pop up on the side, like a friendly “how are you?” from the person waiting beside you, or an invitation to something, or even an impartation of some pearls of wisdom, are dismissed as you become more and more restless.

When I was drawing on the weekend, I felt I really needed to draw something small. A sunflower came to mind, they always cheer me up, so I thought I’d draw just one. As I started drawing, joy began to fill my heart and before I knew it, I’d gone from drawing one, to wanting to fill my page with them.

By the end of the day though, the drawing was nowhere near finished. I set it aside to come back and work on it later. As Tuesday rolled around, it became clear that the sunflower drawing would have to be the drawing for this week’s blog post, as I had run out of time to do anything else. Usually by Tuesday evening, the drawing being featured in the week’s blog post should be finished, but this drawing was still nowhere near being done.

I set my alarm and got up at 5:00am yesterday to get in another hour of drawing…. but by Wednesday evening there was still significant work to do. So last night I stayed up late to finish the drawing. Normally, I would have been finalising this blog post… but I hadn’t even started!

All through yesterday I was tempted to be impatient. But I realised that in doing so, I would be showing I don’t trust in the Lord or have faith in His provision for what He’s called me to do (blog for this website). When I finished work yesterday afternoon, I wasn’t able to come straight home and get into drawing, as I had worship practice. The temptation was there though, “you have so much to do, Chrissie, just skip it”, but the Holy Spirit was saying to me, “you have to trust me, you have to trust that I will put all of this together for you”. So, I went and worshipped the Lord, and then I came home and drew.

During all of this yesterday, the Lord impressed upon me how strongly patience is aligned to trust and faith. I believe that this is why, in his word, He tells us to be patient, as He wants us to be faith filled people who put our trust in Him.

Romans 8:25 NLT

But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.

Romans 12:12 NLT

Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying

When you’re patient, you are demonstrating that you have trust and faith in the Lord. I went to bed last night not having my blog post created. I went to bed believing that if I set an alarm extra early, I would get up and the Lord would meet me, and He would bring everything together. If I had been impatient, I would have taken matters into my own hands, and tried to bring this about some other way.

It can be difficult to remain patient when you are waiting for change to come, or for a promise to be fulfilled or for something to happen. I think it’s only when you fully trust, by faith, that you make way for His spirit to truly move. And when it does, it can be transforming and life changing.

Yesterday’s worship practice was awesome. If I had been impatient, I probably would have skipped it and missed out on such a fun and joyous afternoon, that lifted me physically and spiritually. It’s sobering to realise I could have altered an outcome, I could have missed out on a download of goodness by being impatient.

So yes, after experiencing all of this, I do believe we are all interconnected. My friends exploration of patience set me off on a journey of my own. I didn’t know it was going to happen, it just did. What happens in one person’s life can affect what happens to another person and that’s the butterfly effect. One person can flap their wings and a tornado begins somewhere else. Perhaps by me sharing this, you will have your own revelation about patience, perhaps you’ll begin a journey too.

In those moments when you’re creating, and you’re struggling to tolerate any more delays, I pray you might connect with the Lord. I pray that you can be patient. Patience needs to be a priority in your expression. Without it, I fear you will miss something meaningful or something integral to your growth as an Expressive. Remember that refinement happens under pressure, it just needs to be endured. Ultimately though, it’s through trust and faith in Him that mountains can move.

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Until next time, listen to your heart and sharpen your coloured pencils. A masterpiece awaits!

Bless you my friend

Chrissie xx