Are You Patient?

Patience is a good thing.  Yes, I said it.  Patience is a good thing.  I will be the first to admit that I sometimes struggle with being patient.  Being patient means I am waiting for something I want.  It is clear that patience has become rare in our society today.  Many people choose to eat at fast food establishments.  Why?  Because they do not want to wait very long for their food.  An "I want it now" attitude is being catered to by most businesses.  Think of shipping!  There is standard shipping (which is expensive) and then there is expedited shipping (which is even more expensive).  How many times do we bite the bullet and pay double the money just so a package will get here in 1-3 business days?  Why not order the package far enough ahead of time that you don't need expedited shipping?

Ok, ok.  I will stop ranting now and dig into the Bible to see what it says about patience.  So, as I typed the single word "patience" into Biblegateway.com, I learned that it can be found in the Bible 16 different times.  While this number may not seem substantial, patience is viewed as a very positive attribute.  "Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."  This verse (found in Colossians 3:12) challenges us to possess patience as a quality.

2 Timothy 4:2 says, "Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction."  This verse tells us to act in great patience.  This shows that patience is an action, not just a quality or characteristic of a person.  Patience, much like love, is acted out and practiced everyday in multiple situations.  The more we practice patience, the easier it will become.  Now, I do not believe it is an accident that this verse says "great patience," emphasis on the great!  We should challenge ourselves to be extremely patient, especially in situations that are hardest for us personally. 

Hebrews 6:12 says, "We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised."  Being patient does NOT mean sitting around and doing nothing!  If you're searching for God's will, it means patiently worshipping God while you wait!  Serve others with during your time of waiting.  Do not grow lazy just because you are being patient.  I found the following quote online just this afternoon.  I don't know who said it, but it fits Hebrews 6:12 pretty well.  "Patience is waiting.  Not passively waiting.  That is laziness.  But to keep going when the going is hard and slow - that is patience."  I have also attached a song you should listen to!  It has a great message about what to do while you wait. 

Ok, now I will finally give you my closing thoughts.  Do you think Jesus had to have extreme patience, and still does?  I think so.  Sometimes we suffer in times of patience, but how much more has Jesus suffered?  He endured a time when people refused to accept him as the savior, knowing what would happen to them.  Don't you think he had to possess an extreme amount of patience when speaking with these people?

Why are we continually in a hurry for everything?  We do not need to rush dating, high school/college, buying a new car/house, getting married or having kids.  Let's slow down and smell the roses!  Let's let God work in His timing; it is so much better than ours!