God is calling His people to live patiently. The Christian life is one that requires patience. Everything about believing in Jesus is rooted in patience for His return.
“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. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord, is at hand.” — James 5:7-8
First, we are told to “be patient.” Which is easier said than done! But then James tells us how to accomplish the feat… “Establish your hearts….” The word "establish" literally means to make stable. We must strengthen our faith, to make sturdy and stable our faith. Patience becomes the reflex of a sturdy heart.
What’s hard about patience is time.
Timing is everything. We make up our mind about the timing of a matter but God has already determined the timing. Most of the time God's timing is different than our timing. Why is that? Because God knows and sees the beginning from the end. We determine what we think the timing should be based on a very limited scope and viewpoint. Adjusting our faith and our trust being sturdy in our hearts to know that GOD’S
TIMING IS PERFECT.
Maybe you are like me saying, “Lord, I need patience and I need it now!”
1. We need patience when we face difficulties.
2. We need patience when we face disappointment.
3. We need patience when we face disapproval.
4. We need patience when we face disaster.
5. We need patience when we face dishonesty.
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” — James 1: 2- 4.
Seasons of testing produce patience. Don’t reject the test, reflect on it. Allow God to do the work only the teacher can do. We get impatient because the teacher is always silent during the test. “Shhhhh… Take the test!” The moments of testing will cause patience to be develop where you lack it.
Patience will have a perfect work inside of you. That’s not just my opinion. That’s in God’s word right there in James 1:4 — God said it, that settles it, let’s believe it!
God doesn’t desire us to face trials. God doesn’t send the storms. But God does want us to face difficulty and trials with patience. Don’t run from the test or blame God for the storm but through faith and testing grow during it. Do you want to grow in patience? Embrace difficulties as your opportunity to grow in patience. Do you want to grow in your faith? Embrace disappointment as your opportunity to grow faith. Do you want to grow in your trust for God? Embrace disapproval from man as your opportunity to grow in your understanding of God’s approval for you.
Perspective is potentially the greatest key to perfecting patience. We lack patience because we want things to happen when we think they should from our limited earthly linear perspective. God sees it all. He sees the storm long before it’s formed and knows the end result of the beautiful grass that will grow around you from its condensation. Look at what James 5:10-11 says as he continues to teach us the perfection of our patience.
“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." — James 5:10-11
Look at the prophet as an example of patience during suffering? Look to the prophet? The most popular “prophet” in the Bible in my opinion is Elijah. He called down fire from heaven, he performed many famous miracles, he was even snatched away by a chariot of fire and taken into heaven never to experience death!
Fast forward a few verses in James 5:16-17 — He is trying to teach us something very profound about the power of our patience.
“The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth.”
Do you see that? “Look to the prophets as an example of PATIENCE…” — “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth…”
Elijah’s patience, his trust in God, gave him a fervent prayer that no matter how he lived (a man with a nature like ours) Elijah’s prayer had power because of His patience. When you trust heaven you have power on earth!
Patience is a strong resilience in the Spirit. Patience produces staying power. When you hit a wall... Don't quit!
Ask God to help you take another step toward your breakthrough.
What do I do when I am in a hurry and God is not? Keep trusting!
What do I do when I am in a hurry and God is not? Keep believing!
What do I do when I am in a hurry and God is not? Stay patient!
God’s timing is perfect. God’s timing is best. Your breakthrough begins with patience.
- Pastor Scotty
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