There are few things that frustrate us more than having to wait. We willfully accept with gladness, the answer yes, and begrudgingly come to terms with the answer no, but having to wait is problematic for us, as we suffer great anxiety in doing so. Oh, the anticipation of heartbreak or jubilation. Our prayer should constantly be, teach me to wait. Patience is a prized commodity in very short supply, as our responses typically allow us and others to see the fullness of our insecurities, finding ourselves no longer in control.
When everything is going our way, patience is easy to exhibit. However, the real test of patience is when our character and integrity are questioned; when we are offended, when we are treated unfairly; or when someone questions, mockingly, the basis of our faith. As Christians we do not have the luxury of being, sinfully, upset when facing trials and hardships. (Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath) (Ephesians 4:26). Our patience is revealed through faith because of God’s timing, omnipotence, and tireless love. It is neither sudden nor immediate and is very seldom instantaneous. God’s authority is crucial to our spiritual growth thereof, as the trials we routinely face are His way of perfecting patience in us.
Today’s episode is titled.
Priceless Patience
Luke 21:19
In your patience possess ye your souls.
Patience is indeed a virtue, but the quote itself is not a Biblical term.
Our inability to be patient can have disastrous consequences, and present less than desirable outcomes. There is the world's view of patience (with limitations), and then there's the patience that God demonstrates in glorious detail throughout scripture. We are reminded time and again of its necessity, and they serve as a cautionary reminder of why we should not seek to get ahead of his willful plan for us. We assume that God is taking far too long to address our needs and our present circumstances, we pray continually for him to fix it, not realizing sometimes that is the very thing we need to endure. Without such we would believe we have no need for God, as many assume today, becoming totally self-reliant as a means of achieving our own outcomes, albeit right or wrong.
Our hearts are constantly yearning, always lacking, never satisfied, we intentionally push the envelope to see how far we can go. Scripture reminds that we are not to live unto ourselves, we were purchased with a price (1 Corinthians 6:20), and therefore must trust that God is in control of every aspect of our lives no matter how long the wait. Our patience gives us the ability to trust him at his word, even if it does not correspond with our own timeline. Our lack leads us to the limit of our own decision making, using our own resources, under our own abilities, refusing to believe that we are limited by our own humanity. Patience removed can as well lead to hopelessness, as we seek answers, but very often in the wrong places. God’s faithfulness towards us, however, is reflected throughout the entirety of his word, the opening of Genesis, In the beginning, to the closing word in Revelation, Amen.
