Patience
How little we think of patience as a grace!
We think of it as being polite…..”Oh, you can go first in line.” Or something like that.
We know we should be patient toward others (1 Thessalonians 5:14)…..though often we are not,…..
……and that we should patiently wait upon the Lord (Psalm 37:7, Psalm 40:1)……His Word, and His time (though, again, we often want things now).
But patience is a mile-marker of spirituality….
Is God developing your patience?
Jesus said to His disciples;…(He had just been talking of persecution for His sake, Luke 21:17-18 “And ye shall be hated of all men for My name’s sake…..but there shall not an hair of your head perish.”)
Then:
Luke 21:19 “In your patience possess ye your souls.”
In other words…..keep a hold of your mind’s thoughts….your emotional well-being….you will’s desire to run and do “something”…..hold on to them with patience.
And Paul wrote Timothy, his beloved son in the faith:
1 Timothy 6:11 “But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.”
Patience is a virtue that enables us to look beyond affections, and opinions….ours and other’s; and to see God behind the scenes,…..working on our behalf.
It is an attitude which says, “I can wait for this (whatever it is), even though I want it now, because I trust my God.”
It is spoken of, with many of the promises God gives us…..for we must inherit them…..obtain or get them:
Speaking of Abraham…..”And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.” (Hebrews 6:15)
And the Hebrew’s writer exhorts us:
Hebrews 6:12 “That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
Now I often think of patience as waiting….(it often includes it)…..but here the writer says….”be not slothful”…..do not just sit around waiting for God to do.
No, the scriptures say,……patience is getting up every morning and doing our duty…for the Lord’s sake……whatever that includes….
…….while we wait for the Lord to work things out….
…either in us, so we are ready for such a blessing…
….or for us……and trusting that He will.
And here are the verses that really shows God’s heart, toward patience in us:
James 1:2-4 “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations(different trials);
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.”
True patience brings joy and peace to our souls…..for though we do not have what we have been promised……yet….
…..we are at rest in God,…..knowing…..He will.
Therefore we come to the place we “want” nothing….other than what God gives us….and leads us into….
Patience is a grace of comfort…God comforting our hearts in the evil day. It is a grace of strength….for while others worry and wear away…
…those that learn His patience, are at rest….even while beset by problems.
(I must admit here, that I am naturally an impatient person…..I am learning the beauty of this grace…..slowly.
I must also tell of several times, the Lord has shown me the sweetness of His patience…..the Holy Spirit teaching me…..and my yielding to it.
We learn His patience.
What a wonderful God we serve!)
Colossians 1:10-11 “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work,
and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power,
unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness;”
The Lord wants to teach us, by His Holy Spirit, to be patient….and to be joyful in the things that we are to be patient in.
Patience is a grace the Lord wants us to have and use (2 Peter 1:6)…that we might receive the promises with joyfulness.
Hebrews 10:36 “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.”
The Lord is the God of patience and consolation:
Romans 15:5-6 “Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Again I ask, are you letting the Lord teach you patience?
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 