Patience Is Not Easy For Mortals

Patience is supposed to be a desirable virtue. Sad to say, patience is very difficult for most mortals. Oh, we know that God is carefully weaving together all the strands of the fabric of our lives. We know that one simple thing we ask him for may require many, many adjustments not to our life, but to the lives of others, just to make it work for us. And we know that it will all come together, in his time, not ours.

Still, all that is easy in theory. In real life, it is one of the hardest things to develop. 

In our household, we are trying hard to be patient and relaxed about the SSDI application we put into place in mid-June for my middle-aged nephew. We were told by the lawyers that his case was almost certain to be approved. However, we were also told it could take anywhere from 6 months to 18 months to come through. Much of that delay is because he had absolutely no medical coverage for several years prior to the application. That meant no documentation regarding his condition. 

It took two months to work our way through the agencies locally to get a county medical card for him. This one benefit began to open doors. He now has ongoing treatment for his medical problems. He now has documentation which was finally sent to the SSDI people two weeks ago when we got it. He has a doctor willing to verify that he cannot ever hold a normal job again.  But with the SSDI backlog of previously filed cases, we pray we will not "go under" while we wait.

Meanwhile, we just heard from one of my nephew's old school friends on Sunday. This man's brother got his SSDI within 3 months of filing. That is amazing. But, this fellow also had a condition that was constantly documented for years before he filed. That makes a big difference.

What I'm trying to say is that for many of us, waiting for God to work things out for us is very difficult. 

I have a dear friend back east who is facing worse problems than we are. Her DH has been ill for many years. He is now almost unable to walk. She has such severe back problems that they suggested surgery. For several reasons, she declined and has decided to stick with meds instead. Meanwhile, she must do all she can for her DH. They also face a huge increase in their rent next month - a $100 increase. 

Another friend, local, is facing losing her mobile home rental. She will likely have to sell her vehicle, and find new homes for her beloved dogs. 

My heart aches for these folks. I wish I could help financially. I trust that the Lord will help them in the perfect way for each of them. But how long will it take? Can they manage to stay sane and in faith while they wait?

Father, please be sure to look upon these friends of mine, with favor and blessings. Fill them with all the patience and faith they need to get through this extremely bumpy time of their lives. And, if you have another moment or two, please be sure to send some of that my way, as well?