Sadly to say, I am a very impatient person. I don’t like to wait…for anything really. Being impatient doesn’t help in learning to abide in Christ. For one thing, it’s a process. I want to be in a place where I am truly abiding in Christ, like yesterday! As I write that, I realize that a big part of that is that I don’t want to go through the learning process. I want it now. Reminds me of so many things that I dabbled in growing up.

After hearing my cousin play “Classical Gas” on his guitar, I decided to learn to play. So I saved up and bought a guitar, a crummy guitar (I write that purposefully for a reason to be explained later). I bought a chord book. After thinking it over, I made it my goal to learn to play, “Beautiful,” by Gordon Lightfoot. I got the music and away I went. For a few days. Steel strings cutting into my fingers. Those darn “B” chords (why can’t songs be written with just c, d, e, g, a chords!) frustrated me to no end. I surmised that the problem was my crummy guitar. If I had a Martin or something like that, it would go much easier. So, after a few weeks, into my closet my crummy guitar went with the chord book and the “Beautiful” song sheet never to see the light of day again!

Learning requires patience. It requires a heart that is determined that whatever you are learning is worth the time and struggle. I guess that’s what Paul meant when he wrote in Phil. 3:12-14-“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been perfected, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have laid hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus.” Yup, I must press on in learning to abide in Christ. In fact, isn’t that a part of abiding in Him? Pressing on? Choosing to remain in Him? Choosing to walk close to Him in every situation? I believe so.

Father, I press on in my journey to draw near to You and to abide in Christ in all things and all times. Thank you for your patience with me. And thank you for crummy guitars! In Jesus’ name, Amen!