February 21

"Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him."(Psalm 37:7)

Have you prayed and prayed and waited and waited, and still there is no manifestation¹?

Are you tired of seeing nothing move? Are you just at the point of giving it all up? Perhaps you have not waited in the right way? This would take you out of the right place━the place where He can meet you.

"With patience wait" (Rom.8:25). Patience takes away worry. He said He would come, and His promise is equal to His presence. Patience takes away your weeping. Why feel sad and despondent²? He knows your need better than you do, and His purpose in waiting is to bring more glory out of it all. Patience takes away self-works. The work He desires is that you "believe" (John 6:29), and when you believe, you may then know that all is well. Patience takes away all want. Your desire for the thing you wish is perhaps stronger than your desire for the will of God to be fulfilled in its arrival.

Patience takes away all weakening. Instead of having the delaying time, a time of letting go, know that God is getting a larger supply ready and must get you ready too. Patience takes away all wobbling. "Make me stand upon my standing³" (Daniel 8:18, margin). God's foundations are steady; and when His patience is within, we are steady while we wait. Patience gives worship. A praiseful patience sometimes "long-suffering with joyfulness⁴" (Col.1:11) is the best part of it all. "Let (all these phases of) patience have her perfect work" (James 1:4), while you wait, and you will find great enrichment. ━C. H. P.

Hold steady when the fires burn,

When inner lessons come to learn,

And from this path there seems no turn━

"Let patience have her perfect work."

━L.S.P.

二月二十一日

　　“你当默然倚靠耶和华，耐性等候祂“（诗卅七：7）

　　你有没有祷告了又祷告，等候了又等候，而仍旧没有效果呢？

　　你看见没有效果，觉得厌倦么？你正想放弃么？你或许要想你等候错了。如果你这样想，就会叫你离开正路━离开神所能遇见你的地方了。

　“忍耐等候”（罗八：25）。忍耐能挪去愁烦。若是主说祂要来，祂的应许就等于祂的同在。忍耐也能擦去你的眼泪。为甚么难过沮丧呢？祂比你自己更加知道你的需要，祂等候的目的，乃是要使你得到更荣耀，更丰富的祝福。忍耐也能挪去自己的工作。主所要求的工作乃是“信”（约六：29）。当你相信的时侯，你就会知道一切都已经成功了。忍耐也能挪去一切的欲。你切望得到你所要的欲，也许远胜过完成神的旨意。

　　忍耐也能挪去一切的软弱。忍耐不是懒惰，也不是虚度光阴。你旣知道神在预备更荣耀，更丰富的祝福给你，你自己也必须预备去接受。忍耐也能挪去一切的飘摇无定，“扶我站起来”（但八：18）。神的根基是顶稳固的；我们有祂的忍耐在里面，我们等候的时侯也稳固了。忍耐有赞美和快乐。赞美的忍耐━“欢欢喜喜的忍耐”（西一：11）━是最美丽的忍耐。“但愿忍耐成功”（雅一：4直译），叫我们在等候中得神丰富的恩典。

火焰燃烧在你胸中，

正是领受内心教训的时候，

要把握得住，不再怔忡，

舍此别无瞻顾，

忍耐必获成功。

1 manifestation   

n.表现形式；表明；现象

参考例句：

• Her smile is a manifestation of joy.她的微笑是她快乐的表现。
• What we call mass is only another manifestation of energy.我们称之为质量的东西只是能量的另一种表现形态。

2 despondent   

adj.失望的，沮丧的，泄气的

参考例句：

• He was up for a time and then，without warning,despondent again.他一度兴高采烈，但忽然又情绪低落下来。
• I feel despondent when my work is rejected.作品被拒后我感到很沮丧。

3 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

4 joyfulness   

参考例句：

• I never consider ease and joyfulness as the purpose of life itself. 我从不认为安逸和快乐就是生活本身的目的。
• I ago consider ease or joyfulness as the purpose of life itself. 我从来不以为安逸和享乐是一生本来的目的。