Jack (Dad): “You just need to have patience.”
Randall (son): “But, I don’t like patience.”
Jack: “Yeah, no one does.”
-‘This Is Us’
While watching This Is Us and hearing the above quote, I thought to myself “whoa, that can be so true.” How many times are we put in a situation to where we are to be patient, but we look at God and say “but, I don’t like patience.”
Lets take a look at the definition.
pa·tience
/ˈpāSHəns/
noun
- 1.the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset
The capacity to accept or tolerate, without getting angry or upset, wow, that seems like a tough thing to do, right. Well, the Bible actually praises patience as one of the Fruits of the Spirit (But the fruit the Holy Spirit produces is love, joy and peace. It is being patient, kind and good. It is being faithful and gentle and having control of oneself. There is no law against things of that kind.– Galatians 5:22-23 NIrV) and urges us, as believers, to produce this fruit in our lives daily (Brothers and sisters, we are asking you to warn certain people. These people don’t want to work. Instead, they make trouble. We are also asking you to encourage those who have lost hope. Help those who are weak. Be patient with everyone. – 1 Thessalonians 5:14 NIrV ).
We all know people, or we are that person, who are easily set off. They constantly let people know by their excessive murmuring, complaining, and, come on, lets not forget the face that is emblazoned with a frown of disapproval. Sometimes, things may go even further and they actually blow up loud for all to hear that they have to deal with the inconvenience of others around them. Most of us aren’t as easily set off to a drastic point, but just because we aren’t showing our discontent by outward appearances doesn’t mean we aren’t waging wars in our minds. Not so innocent either, are we?
1 Peter 2:20-24 (NKJV)
For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
“Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.
Seems like a pretty straight forward example if you ask me.
- If you take it patiently, this is commendable before God
- HE was reviled, but did not revile in return
- HE suffered, but did not threaten
There will be times when you are pushed to your limit, that’s just life. But how we react in those moments is what defines us. A small example, Is waiting an extra 30 minutes for something really that bad? Take those extra minutes and read a few scriptures, take the time to talk with God. Your reactions in situations happening now will determine the fruit you reap at a later time. So, when the world seems chaos around you, when your kid has said your name for the 15,326,529th time, when your coworker still can’t figure out how to use the copier, when your husband still hasn’t fixed the leaky faucet, when your mom still can’t understand how an iPhone works, when your neighbor keeps blowing his leafs into your yard, I could go on and on, remember patience. Remember the patience that our Heavenly Father has had with us and continues to have. Imagine the patience HE had as he took the stripes for us. Imagine the patience HE had when he took the nails to his hands. Just remember, HE WHO BORE OUR SINS IN HIS BODY, HE WHO WAS REVILED, BUT DID NOT REVILE IN RETURN, HE WHO SUFFERED, BUT DID NOT THREATEN IN RETURN, ALL SO WE… LET ME REPEAT THAT… SO WE… CAN LIVE IN RIGHTEOUSNESS. Wow.