Category: Patience

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On the Waves of Patience

Beloved Sisters in the Lord,

Would that I had the patience of a saint, as some of you think! Indeed, patience is a precious gift of the Holy Spirit, following the flow from LOVE, JOY AND PEACE! (22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23). Patience, in the biblical sense, means slow to anger, long-suffering. What a definition—slow to anger. Only God is slow to anger and, therefore, truly patient with an impatient world. What a gift to have God’s word remind us of His patience with us! Read, Dear Sisters, from Psalm 103: 8-14.

8″The Lord is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
9 He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor punished us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
12 As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
13 As a father pities his children,
So the Lord pities those who fear Him.
14 For He knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust.”

In human nature, patience is cultivated through the trials and setbacks that we experience during our lifetime. As the children of God, our patience should result from trusting Him, our Father in Heaven. It is when we pocket our trust in God that we become quick tempered, easily angered, and yield ourselves to fret and challenge and forget the blessed new creation that we are. (Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17) The very fact that we are saved for eternity should be something that completely overwhelms us with patience to endure any and all infractions on what we deem most important—in our perfect little world, for our perfect little agenda!

No, Dear Ladies, I do not possess the patience of a saint, but there is someone who modeled it for me. Having recently taught a Bible study on Noah and God’s Covenant with him, I began to wonder about the eight people in the ark who were saved through the awful forces of water surge and down pour of the wrath of the holy, holy, holy God on a completely sinful world. Has anyone given much thought to Mrs. Noah as possessing the patience of a saint?

As far-fetched as this may seem, think for a moment of this sinner saved by grace, and what she endured while her husband constructed an ark, a huge building that was to house animals and plants and his family for many, many weeks. Think of her patience as they were ridiculed while this vessel was being built in the middle of dry land. Until then, people had not known rainfall, let alone a deluge, and they could not understand what Noah was doing because they had refused any relationship with God, their Creator and Provider.

But Noah was chosen by God to know Him. And so, what could she have done, other than patiently be his helpmate, feed him, keep him company, and give him encouragement from the very Gospel she received from him. Then they entered the ark and there she was with Noah and her sons and in-laws, locked in a floating box of gopher wood, listening to the bleat of sheep, the moo of cows and the chirp of birds…and these are only the sweet sounds! Think of her patience as she feeds the two elephants and two camels, the two frogs and the two dogs, and, possibly being food herself for the two mosquitoes, that were being kept alive for the restoration of the natural world that was being devastated by our most patient God!

My Sisters, patience requires us to endure—to put up with—the most uncomfortable situations: the surroundings, the sounds, the smells, the selfishness and, yes, even the silliness that we may not like. Even dealing with family dynamics had to cause more stress as they all wondered what was going on outside!

In the end, this patient lady emerged from the ark to observe a totally destroyed world, and to be God’s chosen one, among the 7 others, who were saved. She and the others had much work to do, clean-up, rebuild and evangelize the new ones to be born for the repopulation effort. That had to be an unspeakable challenge to her patience. But, oh, what grace and mercy she and her family had been given—they were saved by God!

If, indeed, we contemplate our own salvation, through the mercy of God Who, through His Son, Jesus Christ alone we are spiritually restored to Him, then we can begin to enjoy Heaven now! What could possibly irritate, annoy, attack and consume us when we are already in Heaven? Like Mrs. Noah, trust God and patiently ride the waves of each day within the ark of His sovereign grace!

With thankfulness for His Grace alone,
Mimi

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Patience Unto Eternity

My Dearest Sister,

​Let’s be honest with each other: Life is hard and seemingly unfair sometimes. And while I’d like to say that I have mastered the valuable skill of patience in the face of those unavoidable hardships, that would be completely untrue. In fact I think most people, even most Christians, struggle with this particular fruit of the Spirit. It’s not difficult to determine why when we see that patience is defined as “the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like.” So basically, being able to handle the complete sum of life’s problems without so much as batting an eyelash. Yeah, I don’t know about you, but I don’t think that’s easy for anyone.

​I have always marveled at how simple yet how elusive the concept of patience seems to be. After all, if God calls us to practice it, then surely it should be something that we are capable of doing on a regular basis. I think, however, that the majority of our inability to have true biblical patience lies in the fact that the world and God have two very different ideas about it. It’s another one of those classic sin-versus-righteousness-scenarios that all too often plays itself out in our daily lives. You see, the world teaches us that everything revolves around the here and now. To be truly happy, we have to put ourselves first, doing whatever pleases our fancy because it’s all about enjoying this life to the fullest. Why else do you think that the entire nation owes over 11 trillion dollars in credit card debt? Because they have to have what they want, NOW! Patience simply has no place in the humanistic – and by extension materialistic – lifestyle.

​God’s idea, on the other hand, is quite different. As Christians, we know that this life is temporary, gone in the blink of an eye, and that there is a greater, eternal life to come. Hebrews 6:11-12 speaks about the attitude we are to have toward this life: “And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” The world doesn’t have a promise for anyone’s future; All it can guarantee is the here and now. God, however, has given “exceedingly great and precious promises” to those He calls His children (2 Peter 1:4). If you’re unfamiliar with them, just read the Book of Revelation for starters. There is something better at the end of this life and so we are content to have patience, even if it means suffering through hardships and trials along the way.

​James 5:10-11 gives us an example of this patience through earthly sorrows: “My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord – that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.” Many of the prophets of God were tortured and brutally killed for speaking in His name, yet not for one second did they stop persevering down the path to which God had called them. They knew the end the Lord had intended for them, one full of compassion and mercy. It is because of their unshakeable faith in this promise, that they were able to have patience, even in the midst of their suffering. Job, on the other hand, had everything stripped from him but his life and still he faithfully served the Lord. It was because of his faith and patience that he was rewarded in the end with even more prosperity than he had before.

​Now thankfully, most of us do not face the daily horror of being physically persecuted for our faith or losing our homes, family, and health in one fell swoop. But even if we did, we can be sure that all of our suffering has first passed through our Father’s hands. As Proverbs 20:24 says “A man’s steps are of the Lord; How then can a man understand his own way?” It’s easy to feel like God has abandoned us when we are in the midst of earthly struggles and life has not turned out as we planned. Often times the last thing we want to do is have patience for this glorious end that feels so very far away from the here and now. But sister, let me assure you that God has planned every step of the journey. While there will be times when we will suffer more than we ever thought possible, we do not need to fear or doubt, for His promise to the prophets is the same as His promise to you and I: He has an end in mind that is for our good and His glory, one where He can finally pour out His full compassion and mercy on our souls. Have patience for that end dear sister, no matter what struggles we face in the meantime. We can’t afford to become short-sighted and lost in the sorrows of this life, not when we know the glory that awaits us in eternity.
​As I finish this letter, I am reminded of a hymn I learned as a child and it seems fitting to close with it here:

​“It will be worth it all, when we see Jesus.
​Life’s trials will seem so small, when we see Christ.
​One glimpse of His dear face, all sorrows will erase.
​So bravely run the race till we see Christ.”

​Remember the promises of God about your glorious future, my dearest sister, for they will give you the patience to endure even the toughest of life’s hardships.
​
​Your dear friend and sister in Christ,
​~ Lauren

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Active Patience

Dear Sisters,
I am not a patient individual by nature. Then, God blessed me with a husband… and five children. In fact, I have begun to write this while nursing my youngest. If I could, I would add a few more activities from my to-do list, but I have a feeling that would only result in incomplete chores and a wailing child. As you can imagine, I have a tremendous need for patience. I sorely wish God would “ding” me on the head and magically change me into a phenomenally long suffering woman. Since God is not the Fairy Godmother from Cinderella, my gut tells me I have been signed up for patience-lessons.

Paul wrote the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. If the Spirit resides within me, why am I not good, kind, joyful, and patient at all times? Well, becoming a new creature in Christ resembles a slave being freed from her master who can choose to return to the master and work like a slave again (though the chains are broken), or leave and create a new life. As a new believer, Christ freed the maid from the chains to sin, but He did not place her on a throne, she remains in her world. In other words, as believers, we can now choose to act patiently instead of blowing up in anger, but it is not as if our brains have been completely altered and the only option we have is to be patient. If they had, we would effectively be robots, destroying the reason God created us in the first place.

That brings to mind non-believers patiently loving their own children. Surely the church does not hold the monopoly on virtue. Non-believers can be gentle, peaceful, and kind. The difference between the world’s virtue and the church’s is the goal. Christ admonishes us to love others. A worldly individual chooses to act in accordance with God’s law, or to love others in order to gain for themselves—whether to gain admiration from others or to avoid punishment, their goal is selfish. A believer’s actions should be motivated by the desire to love and follow Christ.

“It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.” Gal. 5:1. This seemed to me to be self-explanatory—who would want to walk back into jail after having been freed? But then I realized that I do have a tendency to return to a prison of rules—because they are familiar and it is easy to point, full of pride, to their ‘refinement’ in my life. I often surround myself and my family with inflexible rules—the right way to do laundry, what to eat, when to rest, the correct way to address others. If those rules are not followed, you can see the impatience seething within me. “You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth?” Gal. 5:7. Jesus didn’t suffer and die to free me only to enslave me to another set of rules that become the focus—the idol. He freed me so I could be absorbed searching after God’s heart. “Faith working through love” is Jesus’ goal for us (Gal. 5:6).

It is important to note that Christ’s mandate is not to feel love, but to work, to act in love. In the same way, patience is an action, not a feeling. My husband said he thought I am incredibly patient. I looked at him as if he had two heads. Me? Are you talking to the same person that feels like ants are crawling under her skin when for the 100th time I have to remind one of our children to do something correctly? I know I am going to feel the ‘ants’ of impatience, but I don’t have to follow their leading. If I am running by the Spirit, producing fruit, there is no time or room for the deeds of the flesh.

Running with you,
Rebecca

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Patiently Waiting

My dear sister,

“I want it now!” is what I find myself saying to God tonight as I selfishly and impatiently relay to God all the reasons why I should have this thing that has become so important to me. “I don’t want to wait until Thursday. I don’t want to wait for more wisdom. I know what I want and I want it now!”

At times I find myself pondering the thought that God might be looking down at me and laughing at the predicaments I get myself into and the impatience that I typically respond to those circumstances with. I have also noticed how often in God’s Providence the topic for which I am about to write is the very thing that is testing my faith! All that to say; How gracious it is of God to allow me to be struggling with patience this month as I sit here writing this to you!

Are you going through a particularly difficult time in your life? Has the Lord responded to your prayers simply by saying, “Wait.”? Are you struggling to be patient through this time of uncertainty? If yes, then I am right there with you. Waiting on the Lord is hard and being told to wait may even be worse than a flat out no. Having to trust the Lord through the in between times is not terribly fun. It’s actually really hard.

I was at my aunt’s house about to babysit my cousins on Saturday night. Before my aunt and uncle left my 4 year old cousin was repeatedly asking for a cookie in a less than pleasant voice. “You have to stop whining if you want a cookie, ” my uncle said. “I’m not whining!” my little cousin whined in response.

Wow. Do I sure feel like my little cousin this week. I know what I want and I think that everyone else should cater to my desire and give it to me now. How selfish! And how immature! I’m acting like a four year old! Even more than being selfish, my attitude tells God that I’m the one who knows what’s best for me and that I should be the one calling the shots. Could I be anymore arrogant?

Remembering the events of last night regarding my own personal situation, I realized that I said some things to a dear friend that I should not have said. I think, “If I had only been patient I would not have acted so selfishly!” But unfortunately I let my desire overtake my reason and instead of waiting upon the Lord to bring about the final results in His timing and in His way I took matters into my own hands. What a mistake that was, dear one.

Romans 5 has been my companion through these last few days. It says, “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Are you going through a trial right now, dear one? Has the Lord told you to wait when you don’t want to wait? Remember this verse. God is working in you and teaching you things now that will be for your good and to your advantage in the future. Remember that Romans 5 is true and that we will need endurance, character, and hope no matter what the Lord calls us to or what circumstances He puts us in. Trust and be encouraged by the truth of Romans 8:28 that the Lord does indeed work all things for the good of those who love Him.

I know what you’re going through right now is difficult and I know that you don’t want to be here very long but you need to wait. You need to, as the psalmist entreats us, ‘be still and know that I am God.” Pray for patience and pray for peace. The Lord will grant you both and remember ‘not one good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly’ (Psalm 84:11) God has our best interests at heart no matter how the circumstances may appear. Trust Him to bring the rainbow through the rain.

Under His wing,

Kayla

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Muddles and Puddles

My dearest sister,

I am well aware of your love for Christ and for your desire to serve Him wholeheartedly. The love for His saints and the passion for His word are abundant and overflowing from your heart. I am writing to encourage you in your waiting upon the Lord as you seek to know His will in the matter of your service to Him.

Our Father in heaven has given us a glimpse of His heart when He has said in His word that “the testing of your (our) faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work (full effect), that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:3)

So often sister you and I have spoken of how we longed for that patient spirit that waits with the comfort of our hope which is in Christ. We have spoken of how easy it seems for us to hope in Christ for our eternity yet to lose sight of that hope in the muddles and puddles of our daily life. We become impatient. God sees and knows our hearts (way better than we do) and He longs to change them; testing the genuineness of our faith is one of those ways. He promises us there will be growth and the fruit will be patience. The exciting thing is that it is like multiplication! When patience is born within our hearts it begins it’s perfect work (maturity) and multiplies bringing forth completeness. This completeness or as the ESV calls it “lacking in nothing” suggests to me that our hearts become full. Much like our stomachs do when we have eaten a seven course meal. We become full to the point of declaring “I couldn’t eat one more bite!”

Something I know is that God’s purpose for redeeming those who are His is to change (transform) them into the image of His Son, our precious Savior. (Romans 8:29)) That Truth coupled with knowing that God is patient (Jeremiah 15:15, Romans 15:5) His Son is patient (II Thessalonians 3:5) and His Spirit is patient, leads me to believe that even if I cannot muster patience from my soul, I can call out to Him who is the giver of all good gifts( James 1:17) and humbly beseech Him to grant me a portion of His patience. Our King is a good King who longs to hear His children and to give them their heart’s desire when that desire is in accordance with His will. Serving the Most High King is His will (being a compassionate helper, a keeper of the home, raising godly children, teaching younger women to love their husbands……and more) as you move to be a doer of His word in those muddles and puddles of your life, He will prepare you (grow you, complete you) to serve Him in the fashion that He deems best.

So, I will close my letter to you my dear sister with this: I am praying for your heart to desire what God desires, to be a doer of His Holy Word which will prepare you for whatever and whenever He calls you out in service to Him even if it stops at the muddles and puddles of life, and that He will find you faithful (full and complete) because your patience has had its perfect work.

Much Love and Admiration,
Susan