The Virtue of Patience

Patience is not a popular virtue. In a world of instant gratification, waiting is seen as a burden and an inconvenience. But patience is essential for the Christian life. It is a fruit of the Spirit. It is a mark of maturity. And it is a key to receiving God's promises. Hebrews 6 verse 12 says, "Do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises." Faith and patience work together. Faith receives the promise. Patience waits for it.My dear friend, God is never late, but He is rarely early. He works according to His own perfect timing. And often, His timing requires you to wait. The waiting is not wasted. It is part of the process. In the waiting, your faith is tested and strengthened. Your character is developed. Your dependence on God deepens. The things you wait for are often more precious because of the waiting.Think about Abraham. God promised him a son when he was 75 years old. He waited 25 years for Isaac to be born. Twenty five years. During those years, Abraham had moments of doubt. He took matters into his own hands with Hagar. But he ultimately learned to trust God's timing. Romans 4 verses 18 through 21 say that Abraham did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God. Abraham learned patience through waiting.Think about Joseph. He had a dream from God when he was 17 years old. He spent the next 13 years as a slave and a prisoner before the dream was fulfilled. Thirteen years of waiting. During those years, Joseph could have given up on the dream. But he remained faithful. He served God in every season. And in God's perfect timing, the dream was fulfilled.Think about Anna and Simeon in Luke 2. They spent their entire lives waiting for the Messiah. Simeon had been told by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he saw the Lord's Christ. He waited patiently. And when Mary and Joseph brought baby Jesus to the temple, Simeon took Him in his arms and praised God. Anna was a prophetess who served God with fasting and prayers day and night. She saw Jesus and gave thanks. Their patience was rewarded.So how do you develop patience while you wait? First, recognize that God's timing is perfect. He sees the beginning from the end. He knows exactly when the time is right. Trust that His delay is not denial. It is preparation.Second, do not complain about the waiting. Complaining reveals impatience and a lack of trust. Instead, use the waiting time to draw closer to God. The waiting is not empty time. It is fruitful time.Third, keep doing what is right while you wait. Do not stop serving, praying, giving, and obeying while you are waiting for your breakthrough. Faithfulness in the waiting positions you for the blessing.Fourth, remind yourself of past faithfulness. Look back at how God has been faithful in the past. He came through before. He will come through again. His track record is perfect.Fifth, wait with expectation. There is a difference between passive waiting and active waiting. Passive waiting is giving up. Active waiting is waiting with expectation, knowing that God will act. Wait with hope. Wait with anticipation.What this produces in your life is a faith that has been proven genuine through the test of time. Patience produces character. Character produces hope. The waiting is not wasted. It is producing something eternal in you. Your patience in the waiting will be rewarded.Let us pray. Father, I confess that I am impatient. I want things to happen in my timing. But I know that Your timing is perfect. Help me to wait patiently for Your promises. Give me the grace to trust You in the waiting. Help me to be faithful while I wait. Do not let me grow weary. I choose to wait with hope and expectation. I know that in due season, I will reap if I do not give up. Help me to wait well. In Jesus mighty name, amen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.