Cheerfully Waiting

by TerryLema

I visited with my primary physician last week again regarding my health. She continues to think I have polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) because of the way it came on suddenly. The rheumatologist she referred me to doesn’t agree because the two blood tests that should be abnormal came back for me as normal. However, many rheumatologists are of the opinion that you can still have PMR even with normal blood tests. So, we are still searching for a confirmed diagnosis of what is ailing me.

My primary told me that she would continue to research and asked me to be patient. She acknowledged how difficult that is when you are experiencing pain and fatigue but trusted me to remain patient while she continued to look for answers.

Patience. When the disciples asked Jesus about the end times, He gave them an account of the difficulties they would face. You can read that in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21. Right in the middle of His discourse on the end times, Luke records this: “By your patience possess your souls.” [NKJV 21:19]

The word Luke uses for patience is hupomone and it means cheerful (or hopeful) endurance, constancy, waiting. By your hopeful endurance, constancy and cheerful waiting, you will possess your souls (your hearts, your emotions, your life).

I doubt anyone has ever said waiting or enduring is easy … and it surely isn’t easy to do that “cheerfully!” But if it was easy, it would not be so valuable to our spiritual and emotional well-being.

“Teach me LORD to wait.”

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