Posted by: Jodi Riley on 01/28/2025
I don’t remember exactly what I was praying for that day, but I do remember the overwhelming weight of it. I wasn’t just praying; I was on my knees—begging, pleading, crying out. In that moment of deep despair and desperation, had it not been for my child, I might have wished for God to take me from this world. I was drowning in anguish, doubt, and fear. I wanted an escape from the suffering, the torment, and the sense of living in a personal hell. I couldn’t see a way out, and I didn’t want to persevere anymore. I wanted to give up.
In my darkest moments, I felt utterly alone, trapped in a cold, empty place.
One day, I was alone in the house, walking up the stairs, when suddenly I heard a voice, clear as if someone were standing right in front of me, shout: “PATIENCE!”
My immediate reaction? Anger. I was consumed by it. I yelled back to the empty space in front of me: “NO!” and continued up the stairs, furious. That wasn’t the answer I wanted. It wasn’t the answer I believed would solve my situation.
God was asking me to trust Him, to have faith, and to surrender my limited understanding to His infinite wisdom. But at the time, I was too stubborn to see it. And yes, my red hair and stubbornness often go hand in hand! For me, patience felt like my greatest enemy.
A few days later, I humbled myself enough to ask God for forgiveness, though I was still trying to negotiate with Him about this whole “patience” thing. I’m sure by this point, God was exasperated with me.
I believe what He was saying, “My beautiful, amazing, stubborn daughter, you can have your dreams and desires. All I ask is that you trust me. Be patient, have faith in Me. I am orchestrating everything for your good, but it must be in My way and My timing. I will guide you, direct you, and give you everything you need for this moment. Will you trust Me to take care of the rest?”
But the truth is, I didn’t listen to His words for a long time. I resisted, and for a couple of decades, my life was harder than it needed to be. The suffering and struggle were real, but much of it could have been avoided if I had only surrendered to Him sooner.
Years later, as I was leaving church with my child, I happened to pick up a church bulletin. When I got home and settled in, something on the back of it caught my eye: “Faith vs. Fear.” I stared at those words for a long time. I read them over and over again, day after day, year after year. I still have that bulletin to this day because that simple phrase became a turning point for me. It was the beginning of my path toward true faith—faith rooted in patience, surrender, and a deep desire to do God’s will.
Since then, I’ve learned that faith is not the absence of fear but the decision to trust God through it. I’ve learned that when we embrace patience, we open ourselves to His divine timing. And most of all, I’ve learned that even in the storms of life, God is always with us, waiting for us to trust Him, to have faith, and to surrender our plans to His.
"So, how do we decide to turn to God, trust Him, and have faith in Him? When we choose faith, it moves us to take action—both physically and mentally. True faith carries with it the assurance that what we hope for will be fulfilled. And in that faith, we find peace, confidence, and a deeper connection to God’s will."
I want to share with you how my journey has shaped my life, and how we can all learn to embrace patience, trust, and FAITH in God’s timing. I will explore what it means to release our need for control, surrender to His plan, and move forward with the SELF-CONFIDENCE that TRUE FAITH brings. How do we navigate those moments of despair, when it feels like all hope is lost? How do we lean into faith instead of fear, trusting that God’s way, though different from our own, will lead us to the peace and fulfillment we desire? Let’s dive deep into the transformative power of FAITH, PATIENCE, and SURRENDER, so that we can all experience the freedom, peace, and SELF-CONFIDENCE that come from truly trusting in Him.
