The Patience of the Saints

Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.

--PSALMS 37:7

Is it the Lord that shuts me in?

Then I can bear to wait!

No place so dark, no place so poor,

So strong and fast no prisoning door,

Though walled by grievous fate,

But out of it goes fair and broad

An unseen pathway, straight to God,

By which I mount to Thee.

--SUSAN COOLIDGE

WE cannot be useless while we are doing and suffering God's will, whatever it may be found to be. And we can always do that. If we are bringing forth the fruits of the Spirit, we are not useless. And we can always do that. If we are increasing in the knowledge of God's will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, we are not useless. And we can always do that. While we pray we cannot be useless. And we can always do that. God will always find us a work to do, a niche to fill, a place to serve, nay, even a soul to save, when it is His will, and not ours, that we desire to do; and if it should please Him that we should sit still for the rest of our lives, doing nothing else but waiting on Him, and waiting for Him, why should we complain? Here is the patience of the saints.

--ANTHONY W. THOROLD