Clothing Ourselves in Patience
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A MESSAGE FROM SARA:
I have to laugh really that this week is about patience, and I did the research and writing! And if anyone that listens to our podcasts or reads our blog actually knows me, you are probably laughing too. But do you know what I have loved so much about this week? God revealed new nuggets of truth to me about what Being Patient really is and what it really looks like. There is so much yumminess to this word that I pray that you take the time to listen.
Here are a few things that I learned:
1. You remember that saying our moms used to use on us — good things come to those who wait? Well Charles Spurgeon puts it like this:
“Time is nothing to him; let it be nothing to thee. God is worth waiting for. He never is before his time, he never is too late. In a story we wait for the end to clear up the plot; we ought not to prejudge the great drama of life, but stay till the closing scene, and see to what a finish the whole arrives.”
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. (Psalm 37:7)
2. How easy is it to get frustrated with someone else for not doing something as quickly as you want? Or how about when someone is driving you crazy (or in Atlanta it could be the drivers that are literally driving you crazy)? And then you hear that little voice inside saying to be patient with that person? David Whitehead offers this:
“It is easy to be critical, but when we bear with others we enter into their story and the little things that cause them to act the way that they do. This is an opportunity for the church to be counter-culture to the world around us. We should try to value others for who they are and not simply for what they can do.”
Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. (Ephesians 4:2)
3. Or think about the number of times you heard that trials produce patience? This is when you cringe after hearing someone actually pray for patience. When I hear that I am sitting there thinking to myself (or heck, I’m probably saying it out loud), are you crazy?? Who in their right mind prays for patience? Don’t you know what that means? But then God had to go and pierce my heart and almost make me want to ask daily for this kind of patience because this is the image-of-God kind of patience. This is the hands-and-feet-of-Jesus kind of patience and who doesn’t want to more like Christ?
James makes what seems to be a paradoxical statement in James 1:2: We should count our various trials as joy. Why? Because verse 3 says that doing so produces patience! We need patience so God can mold us into His likeness. James is teaching us that we should not measure the experiences of life by their ability to please our ambition or tastes but by their capacity to make us into God’s image. If we have any vision—and a zealous desire to live as God does—we can welcome our trials as steps in God’s creative process and meet them with patience and hope. John Ritenbaugh
For when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. (James 1:3)
4. And finally, patience is a fruit of the Holy Spirit which basically means this is the part of your Being that reflects the image of Christ produces in rough times.
“We desire others—especially God—to be patient and forgiving toward us in our faults, but do we practice the same attitude and conduct toward those whose faults offend us? Patience is a two-way street, and God clearly demands reciprocity. He expects us to pass His patience and forgiveness toward us on to others even as Christ did.” Author unknown
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness. (Galatians 5:22)
Here are just a few take aways from this week’s lesson:
- The Bible reveals patience as a quality of God’s character. Can we say it is part of our character?
- The Greek meaning of the word patience is “to abide under or remain under even in the face of difficult situations.”
- It expresses the ability to be wronged and not retaliate. Ouch!
- It is the opposite of anger. Double ouch!!
- It is not so much a trait as a way of life. Be patience; don’t do patience!
- “Patience is giving up my life to God, no matter what happens to me.” (Skip Moen) It’s not all about me!
Would you join me in the search for true patience? Let’s flip-flop our thinking from trying to avoid the process of growing in patience, and let us rejoice in the outcome that is produced from its journey. May we be bold enough to realize that patience is more than a virtue…it’s a gift. A gift from God to us and one that we must learn to pay forward to ourselves and others!
Okay, so now I’m a little worried about the kind of week I’m going to have. (Wink-wink!) Can’t wait to hear how God is clothing you in patience.
Email me at sara@bestillbefree.com or comment and let’s have some coffee talk! Praying for you!