Patience

"But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed (with no defects), lacking in nothing" James 1:4 (Amplified Bible).

 Photos on this page were taken at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, TN

How is it that we give so little value to the word "patient"?

When we are NOT patient, it is an indication that our faith has vanished, because we cannot maintain faith apart from patience. 

Recently I had a great tumble! I had worked two months on a transaction and felt sure God was going to bring it to the intended end. He did not. Within 24 hours of the goal, everything fell apart. All my hopes, my time and energy were brought to an abrupt and ugly end. I was stunned. As the hours went by, and it was evident that God was not going to reverse anything, He did give me the desire and strength to praise Him for the opportunity to trust Him and not throw myself of a bridge!!!!

Later in the week I recognized God was healing my heart. Then I became angry. I kept praying, "Create within me a clean heart, O God." God answered my prayers and enabled me to fight against anger and disappointment. Even now as I share this with you, I fight to keep my eyes on the goal of glorifying God and trusting Him to give me the patience I need to trust Him to conform me to the good pleasure of His will and bring me around to a peaceable heart.

Being patient does not mean that we should be "drugged," enduring our afflictions in a dumb stupor, without any sadness and grief at all.

Being patient means exercising restraint when we are suffering. It means realizing and acknowledging that God Himself has brought us to this particular place of suffering, and it is for our benefit and His glory (Romans 8:28).

Being patient means recognizing that everything we have and are is because God has been merciful in giving it to us; and, that He has a right to do whatever He pleases with us and everything we consider to be ours.

Job understood this. After the high winds, the robbers, and the fire destroyed everything Job had, including his children, he said:

"Naked I came from my mother's womb,                                  and naked shall I return there.                                              The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away;                         Blessed be the name of the Lord." 

In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong" Job 1:21,22.

"By your steadfastness and patient endurance you shall win the true life of your souls" Luke 21:19 (Amplified Bible)

"Be still and rest in the Lord; wait for Him, and patiently stay yourself upon Him; Psalm 37:7(Amplified Bible).

Whatever you are experiencing today, I trust you are relying upon God to bring about the patience you need to deal with the conflicts He has seen fit to bring into your life.