Is Patience a Virtue I Want?
Proverbs 14:29
29 Whoever is patient has great understanding,
but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.
Video for this week’s service can be viewed @ Sunday, August 7, 2022
Patience leads to abundant understanding,
but impatience leads to stupid mistakes.
Proverbs 14:29 (CEB)
What?! What are you doing here reading this short little thought I’m writing on patience?! Aren’t you worried about the myriad of things that are probably flooding into your thoughts right now? Can’t you feel the anxiety of our stressed out world that constantly calls out for you to join it ranks and get in line for your daily dose of guilt over something you were not able to do? Seriously… you should just stop reading this and jump on the bandwagon of people who don’t have time deal with a subject like “patience”! Go ahead… I give you permission to check this off your list… there you go… have a joy-filled day!
Well… if you are still reading this I guess you decided there might be something worth looking at in the next few paragraphs I write. Since you are still here I must warn you that learning to be patient is one of the most difficult challenges I have faced in my life. It IS one of those virtues that have also given me the greatest peace when I’ve embraced it’s lessons. Here is the truth of the matter: I naturally don’t like to wait. Impatience is one of those traits that myself (and many others) seem to struggle with numerous times each day. A few years ago I finally admitted that this was condition I would not be able to overcome on my own. I tried for years to wake up each day and say, “today I’m not going to be anxious or give myself over to worry. I’m going to focus on God and what is good, lovely, and excellent.” For some reason this filled me with more anxiety. Why? Because I was trying to blind myself to the condition of the world around me.
You see, we live in a broken world that is hurting. The needs always seem greater than the resources available. I could become callous and uncaring, but that is not who I wanted to become or who God called me to be. I would often be overwhelmed with the question, “God, what on earth are you doing in the midst of all this chaos?!” I couldn’t find an answer until I happened upon God’s concept of patience. I read in 2 Peter 3:8-9 these verses…
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends:
With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
God has a plan that I could either learn to trust in or become anxious about. This Sunday we are going to look at two people in Scripture: King Saul and Job. I believe our time together will help us discover the joy of embracing patience that CAN fill your heart with a peace that goes beyond your ability to comprehend!
Grateful to be on this journey with you,
Pastor John