Open Book

27. Repeating

Honest talk… One of the things I find myself struggling with, like those little foxes spoiling the vine – is continuous repeating.  When I face people repeating themselves often and hitting on the same button about a topic.  When I must repeat my words more than three times to be heard.  Even when Jesus repeats himself repeatedly from many sources about something.  Even if there is one word, like the word “God”, when it is used constantly by someone in each phrase that they say…

I cannot deal well with it.  It provokes me to frustration, be it little or big. 

However, when I woke up one morning and went to take care of my business, I realized that the whole Creation repeats itself.  The seasons come and go in a cycle, repeating themselves constantly.  Fruit grows on trees and rain falls repeatedly. Leaves fall and grow back next spring.  The Father Himself repeatedly forgives us again and again and again.  He repeats Himself to us that He loves us because we do not seem to believe Him fully the first hundred times.  When we do not understand some things, He repeats His words as many times as needed until we grasp the picture.  He is constantly repeating and appealing to mankind to turn away from sin.  Repeatedly as each day dawns He showers new mercies upon us.  Giving certain amount of graces one needs to live through one more day.  Never tired of showering His love on us every time.  He even gives warnings on the repeat. The holy angels constantly fighting and protecting, getting wounded and receiving healing to go right back into the fray.

So, what am I to complain about really?

Jesus once said in a funny true way in a message to one of his brides. “I can repeat Myself; the Father gave me permission to do that.”

It seems like one can repeat themselves as much as needed.  I see now that it is frustration.  A serious lack of patience and pride from my side that others do not understand me at the first two times minimum.  Yet I make God repeat Himself when I face trouble about believing His word and my identity in Christ.  The same goes for others.  They too must repeat their words to me often.

I once heard a short story that goes kind of like this.

There was an old man walking with his son outside.  He was an elderly person that did not seem to remember the little things.  Therefore, he made many questions to his son. He was unable to hold the son’s reply for a long time, so the son answered him again and again each time until he could no longer hold his patience and spoke angerly to his dad.  Evident wounds landed on the elderly man.  He fell silent and began to walk away in a certain direction, leaving his son behind.  The young man realizing his mistake felt there was nothing to do to fix it since he thought his dad was now far off.  However, soon the father came back with a book in his hand and handing it over to the son he points to a passage and asks the son to read it.  As the son begins reading, gradually his attitude changes, for this was his father’s diary.  The passage he read was about his son’s childhood and how he made countless questions about everything surrounding them.  The father always answered with calmness and understanding to the little boy, never raising his voice.  Humbled, the young man turned toward his dad while hearting convicting words form his wise mouth.  This taught the son a lasting lesson on patience and humility and so they went on again, trying anew.