When I was young, life was slower-paced. Folks waited for the news till they saw it in print.
Nowadays, people can find out what’s going on 24/7—sometimes events are even reported as they’re occurring. In many ways, we’ve become a society that values speed.
I’ll admit there are some advantages to having everything quickly, but these expectations can also rob us of the godly quality of patience, which is beneficial in every area of the Christian life.
Do you think you’re being influenced negatively by the culture around you?
Sometimes we adopt common manners and values without realizing it. Has impatience crept into your life? You could define patience as the ability to endure hardship, stress, or annoyance quietly, without complaining. In the Bible it’s sometimes translated as “longsuffering,” and also conveys the idea of being long-tempered.
Are you willing to persevere through trials or delays with a gracious attitude? Can you overlook a wrong instead of responding with anger?
Godly patience doesn’t come naturally.
It’s a gift from the Lord that is bestowed on us as the fruit of His Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). But we must cooperate while He develops it within us. Since the Lord is omniscient, He knows the precise circumstances that will help each of us in this area.
But we often think we’re doing just fine without greater patience. Even though it’s a virtue we should desire, many Christians avoid praying for it because they don’t want to have their patience tried and tested.
The reason patience is so important is because it’s a characteristic of God, and as Christ’s followers, we’re to be imitators of Him (Eph. 5:1).
Though we want the Lord to treat us patiently, so often we don’t treat others this way. Just consider how patient God has been with you. He does not react in anger or revenge when we don’t grow quickly in our spiritual lives. Nor does He punish us every time we sin. He’s mindful of the weakness of our humanity (Ps. 103:14).
Waiting graciously is important in every area of life, but I invite you to focus on three instances.
First, we need patience in our relationships.
James reminds us that we should be “quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger” (James 1:19). Relationships are easily damaged by rash words. And once such words are spoken, they can’t be taken back; the hurt cannot be undone. That’s why we need to guard against lashing out in anger and stop rationalizing our impatience in order to justify ourselves.
What impatience reveals is a lack of love. Paul describes Christian love as being patient, kind, not easily provoked, and willing to overlook a wrong (1 Cor. 13:4-5). Could that be said of you?
The second area in which we need patience is in our trials.
“It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons” (Heb. 12:7). No matter what the form or cause of the affliction, our loving heavenly Father is using it to train us to share in His holiness (Heb. 12:10). But if we become impatient and resist God’s hand, we won’t benefit.
Are you tired of waiting for the Lord to heal your body, remove a burden, or change a painful or stressful situation? He allows these things not to harm you, but to mature you. Paul experienced many afflictions in his ministry, but he saw them as momentary and light compared to the eternal weight of glory they were producing for him (2 Cor. 4:17). That’s the kind of attitude that will help you patiently endure whatever God has given you to bear.
Next, we need patience with God.
Now that may sound surprising to you, yet if you’ve ever waited for the Lord to answer a prayer request, you know what I’m talking about. Maybe you’re desperately seeking His guidance for your life, but He seems silent. Or perhaps you’re claiming a promise in Scripture, but nothing has changed. The problem is not with God’s faithfulness to His promises. He’s always on time. It’s our timing that’s off.
One of the signs of impatience with God is a grumbling, complaining attitude. That’s what happened to the Israelites in the wilderness. They became impatient on the journey, complained about their situation, and accused God of wrongdoing (Num. 21:4-5). When we think we know better than the Lord, we do likewise. The right response is found in Psalm 37:7, “Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him.”
Patience begins in the mind.
If you doubt this, consider what kinds of thoughts cause you to feel impatient. In contrast, what truths about God could you dwell upon to build a foundation for patience and trust in Him? Since everything you experience comes through His loving hands, you can stop fretting, rest in His wisdom, and rely on His strength to wait graciously. Then watch as He accomplishes His good work within you.
Are you ready to trust Him through all the delays in your life? My hope is that you’ll say yes.
Prayerfully yours,
Charles F. Stanley
P.S. Growing in Christ is a marathon, not a sprint. One of our many resources, the In Touch devotional, is designed to help you seek our wonderful Lord each day in prayer. I hope you’ll join us. We’d be honored to accompany you in wisdom and love for many years to come.