Our lives are to be
characterized by patience
Few people, including Christians, have the quality of
patience. We all pretty much want what we want, and we want it now! We don’t
like waiting in lines or getting caught in traffic. Even with mail order
shopping we expect our orders to be shipped today and, “oh sure, I’ll pay for
overnight shipping for tomorrow’s before
ten o’clock delivery.” Our
world today is based on instant gratification, no waiting! Yet, God wants us to exercise patience; because it
helps us to develop the mature, stable character God wants to produce in His
people.
How do you define patience?
It is the ability to absorb strain and stress without complaining, without
wavering in actions or thoughts in spite of obstacles, failures or delays. It
is the ability to recognize we can’t control everything in our lives. Patience
understands many things are beyond our control. To be patient is accepting this
fact without allowing ourselves to become discouraged or diverted from the
achievement of the goals we set for ourselves. God will allow us to have
difficulties. He will even allow us to experience trials, inconveniences, and
yes, even to suffer for a specific purpose of His. Patience; it’s a lesson learned hard for many of us, but we can learn to have it.
As we learn to recognize these trials as being advantageous
to our character-building, that they are beneficial to us, the stage is then set
for us to develop patience. It is then the Holy Spirit will produce the fruit
of patience in us.
With our greater patience, it is easier for us to submit our
will to God’s sovereignty and to acknowledge He knows all things and determines
all timing. God says wait; wait for
Him.