In today’s “modern” world, we find very few people who want to wait for anything, and instead wanting to do things very quickly. Think for a moment how slow things were 25, 30, 50, even 100 years ago. They were different times and people worked and lived at a much more slower pace, at least that is how it seems. That’s not to imply that the work wasn’t hard, because I’m sure it was, but that life just seemed to move as a slower pace. Where our ancestors took many weeks, months, even years to cross this country of ours, we can now drive across it in just a few days, and fly across in just a few hours. Foods that once required hours to prepare, can now be cooked in just a few minutes, thanks to the inventor of the microwave oven. We now have a culture where we can have anything we desire without having to wait for it. And if by chance we have to, we usually become very impatient.
God ordained elders to lead and guide each local congregation (Acts 14:23) (Titus 1:5) (Acts 20:28) (1 Timothy 3:5). With age and experience, we generally learn to be slower in drawing conclusions, waiting until we have all the evidence. In contrast, when we are younger, we are usually impatient and in a hurry, so much so, that we don’t always “think” before we act or speak. We need to remember the hasty decision made by King Rehoboam, to reject the wise advice of his older counselors for that of his young companions, which resulted in a divided kingdom (2 Chronicles 10).
Are you a patient person? Is patience needed in your life? I certainly think so, I need patience. I case you did’t know, patience comes from the Greek word hupomone. This Greek word is made up of two parts, hupo meaning “under,” and mone meaning to “abide.” So literally, it means to “abide under.” Patience implies suffering, enduring or waiting, as a determination of will and simply of necessity. James tells us how to acquire patience, he says in (James 1:2-4)…..My brethren, 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 complete, wanting nothing.
Paul says in (Romans 5:1-3)…..Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience.”
How do we develop patience in our live today?
James says in (James 5:7-8)…..“Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”
Again James says, (James 5:10-11)…..As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
- If you want to be patient you have to remember all the examples in Scripture where people were proved right but they had to be patient. Job is a great example. He had much, suffered, lost much, but in the end he was blessed with even more than he lost, (Job 42:12)…..“The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part.”
(James 5:12)…..“But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.”
(Romans 15:4)…..Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us”