Chosen Grace

Hey Everyone! This post is kind of late this month, but it’s here! I’m super excited to share with you all the good things God has been doing in me this month :). Now, onto the post!

If you’ve read any of my blog posts, then you know that I am a college student. A year ago-my junior year to be exact- I moved off campus and now I live with other students in one of the most popular off-campus apartments.

Now, I love living off-campus because it feels good to be living like a miniature adult. But, because I can’t afford to live alone- I have roommates.

I didn’t know my roommates when we first moved in together this year- and they didn’t know me. But that didn’t matter because their furry friend quickly adopted me into the family.

You see, one of my roommates has a female dog named Penny. Most of the time I don’t see Penny because my days are extremely busy. But if I do see her, it’s in the afternoons when I’m in the kitchen cooking. ‘ll hear her four paws tumble down the steps and she’ll appear by my side in an instant.

When this first started to happen, I was confused. Not because I didn’t like Penny, but because I just wasn’t used to any dog following me for long periods of time. Eventually, though, I got used to her being beside me every time I cook.

Sometimes I get scared because I’ll have my earbuds in and won’t notice she’s there until I turn from the sink. But even if I jump, Penny will look up at me with her tail wagging happily and her tongue panting as she waits for me to focus on her.

If I don’t pay attention to her immediately, Penny will follow me as I walk back and forth in the kitchen. She never misses me as I move about gathering spices or opening the refrigerator door- she’s right there by my side.

What I find even more interesting is this: when my roommate calls her name, Penny refuses to focus on them. She’ll only focus on me. It isn’t until I give her a snack, that she takes her graceful bow and focuses then on the food she’s about to devour.

I always found it interesting that this happened each time I cooked. One day, after I had given Penny a piece of bread and she was busy eating it, I heard God say: “Penny has patience. Strive to be like her.”

Woah. That hit me like a ton of bricks. God wanted me to be like an animal? I couldn’t quite get it at first. But God is faithful, and began to speak through His Word:

“He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;”

Psalm 46:10 a, NIV

Now, I had read this verse a thousand times and seen it on a million social media posts. But when I looked at it this time- God seemed to be speaking directly towards me.

You see, I’m a senior and college right now. While it is an exciting time- it can also be nerve-wracking because I have a lot of decisions to make. Some decisions are easy, but there are some choices I have to make that I’m still not clear on. And this scares me because I like to know everything.

And while some of you reading this are college students and can relate to what I’m saying- I know that many of you aren’t. Some of you are parents and are wondering what’s the best school for your child to go to. Others are looking for jobs- and trying to figure out what company is best for them. And then there are those who are struggling with the day-to-day, trying to cope with whatever situation you may be facing right now.

Whatever the case may be, there are times when life’s choices can seem overwhelming to us. To be honest, I’m at this place right now. But even in the times when I can’t seem to find my way, God reminds me of Penny’s patience.

And all God had instructed from me was to simply be still...just like Penny.

You see, God instructed me to be like Penny because Penny was patient. She’d sit and wait for me, knowing that I would eventually give her some food. Even when called upstairs by my roommate, Penny didn’t budge. Why? It’s because she knows that there was a reward waiting for her- because she was patient.

Like Penny, we too must be patient. Sometimes all God requires from us is to wait. It doesn’t make sense in the time- but it produces hope (Romans 5:4). And hope keeps us going. Like Penny, we must understand that God rewards our faithfulness- even if it’s marked by our stillness.

Now, if you’re like me- patience is NOT your strong suit. But as God has been dealing with me about patience in my own life, He has constantly shown me that patience is truly a virtue. God has shown me this month what active patience looks like: not rushing- but focusing on the small things we sometimes let go unnoticed.

And I pray that it becomes a virtue in your life as well. I know it isn’t easy waiting for God to speak to you about your situation. But we must hang on to God’s unchanging hand.

As I conclude this post, I just want to encourage all of you to be patient. It’s not fun, but I promise you it’ll be worth it.

Just like Penny sits and waits for me, we must do the same with God. He’ll answer our prayers, in His timing.

Be still today, friends.

With love and a new admiration for patience,

Malaysia