James 1:3-4 3 Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
Patience is a fruit that only grows through tough trials – testing of your faith produces patience. “Patience is bitter but its fruit is sweet. – Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Patience is a muscle that develops only by vigorous exercise. No prophet can transfer patience by placing their hands on our head. Patience is a fruit not a gift. Hence it must be cultivated not imparted. As a sculptor defines the wrinkles on the face, the hair line, the depth of the eyes, the curves in the smile of the sculpture to truly depict the message that he wishes to convey to the world through his artwork, patience is perfected by our attitude, anxiety and delineated by our approach to test.
Everyone has faith. Faith is our belief system. Atheists have their set of beliefs, so do the agnostics and even demons. Even the demons believe—and shudder! (James 2:19b). However when our faith in the Almighty God goes through the acid test, the throughput must be patience and unshakable trust. “Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting”. Waiting is not physical stillness but emotional quietness. The soul that stops racing and starts soaking in the promises of God produces patience.
Patience is developed while waiting for people to change, problems to resolve and the promises of God to be fulfilled.
The sixth good habit to develop is “patience”:
1. People: Patience with people is the best expression of love. Most times, while we are waiting on people to change, God is waiting on us to prove our faith and develop the muscle of patience. “Don’t give up – God hasn’t finished yet”. While persevering and praying for a wayward child, spouse or friend or family member to change, the fruit of patience is perfected.
2. Problem: Patience is trusting God and not giving up when the circumstances haven’t changed. We wish the problem would vanish as soon as we leave the prayer closet. God doesn’t blow the problem away as He hasn’t completed the curves, shapes and features of our character to produce patience. Problems produce patience.
- Promise: Patience with God to fulfill His promise is trust. Promises are seeds. It must be sown on good grounds to produce fruits. Wheat seeds found in the pyramids of Egypt which were almost 4,500 years old, grew when they were planted in fertile soil! Seeds have life but will germinate only when they are planted. Similarly, promises are full of life but they have to be watered by prayer, nurtured by meditation of the Word and nourished by confessions. Grumbling, complaining or questioning God while waiting will scatter the seeds. Waiting for the promises to be fulfilled with the right attitude produces patience.
Our attitude while waiting perfects patience.
Galatians 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Prayer: Father God, I know that waiting is not a choice but help me to wait for my answer with the right attitude that produces patience. Amen.
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