PATIENCE

PATIENCE

     Patience is waiting for God during trials, for wisdom, knowing that He will answer.  You must recognize that the answer may never come. Isn’t that a kicker.  The book of Hebrews is about the Hall of Faith.  The Fathers of our faith waited to see the promise of the Messiah, but He never came in their lifetime.

     Or the answer or intervention may happen at the last minute as in the case of Abraham and Isaac.  The scripture says to “occupy till he comes.”  Maybe I could extrapolate that statement and say, “occupy till he answers.”  Stay true to His calling.  Work while you are still able (just think about that one a little bit. WOW).  You never know what tomorrow will bring or even if there will be a tomorrow.

     Waiting without trusting (knowing that God hears) is all about anxiety and depression and hopelessness.  It will be written all over your face and proceed to come from your heart and out your mouth.  This is not patience, this is the opposite of patience.  Patience isn’t just waiting.  Again, it’s waiting and trusting.

     Do you know what God says about those who let patience have its perfect work in you.  You are perfect and lacking nothing.  Imagine that.  We are all about works.  But the works of God are a gentle and quiet spirit.  How do you have a gentle and quiet spirit.  You guessed it, by having patience.   

     On that note we bring it all home.  Where does the patience come from that we need.  This comes from a personal belief in Jesus, whom God sent.  That is the starting point.  Everything else is built on that foundation. 

     Please read James 2:14-26.  It talks about Abraham and Rehab the Harlot.  Their works were counted as righteousness.  It concludes by saying that a man is justified by works and not by faith only.  Faith without works is dead.