Patience
Now Playing: Are we willing to wait in patience?
Topic: Patience
How many times do we want an answer, and we want it now. The waiting is not easy, particularly if there is something burdening our heart. The One who holds all time in His hand can provide the solution, but we cannot always have it now. The apostle Paul, who wrote several of his epistles from a jail cell, could instruct the Romans, "Whatsoever things were written...were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded one toward another according to Christ Jesus" (Romans 15:5-6).

Peter could write "Besides all this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness, and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity (love)" (2 Peter 1:5-7). Paul likewise wrote, "Thou O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness." (1 Timothy 6:11) James was very pointed, "Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations, knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing" (James 1:2-4). "Be patient, therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord, Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts; for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh" (James 5:7-8).

In Hebrews we are instructed, "That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises" (Hebrews 6:12). Also, "Cast not away your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise" (Hebrews 10:36-37). The Lord spoke of those who were like the seed on good ground, "having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience" (Luke 8:15).

The apostle Paul, in defining a true minister, wrote, "In all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings, by pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness..." (2 Corinthians 6:4-6). John could write of those in Smyrna, "I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience" (Revelation 2:2). May we seek to "run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:1-2). Only the "God of patience" can help us through every difficulty which He chooses to place in our way! May our lives be as the apostle Paul's, who could record, "Thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience." (2 Timothy 3:10)