Hurry up and wait...

On August 19, Pastor Perry spoke about James 5.7-12. Some thoughts on patience:

When we feel overwhelmed by problems, remember that it will be worth the wait! James 5:7-8a says, “Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient…”

We know this passage is addressed to believers because James uses the term brothers four times (vv. 7, 9, 10, 12). The kind of patience to which James is referring can only be achieved by a person whose life is connected to God. Patience is listed among the Fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22. It is a characteristic of being born again. As such it is one of those things that set the believer apart from the world. But patience is not one of those things that comes easily. There is a price to pay for patience. Impatience seems more natural, and is often the easier route.

We have all experienced the hurt of mistreatment and misunderstanding. Such hurts come in a variety of forms; intolerable work situations, domestic conflicts, difficult relatives, individuals who take advantage of us, friends (so called) who turn against us, neighbors who believe false things about us and dozens of other hurtful circumstances. Our natural tendency is to retaliate, to return evil for evil, to get even, or to hold a grudge and become bitter. But there is a better way, a higher way that God calls his people to. We see another example of this in 1 Peter 2:18-20: “Slaves, accept the authority of your masters with all deference, not only those who are kind and gentle but also those who are harsh. For it is a credit to you if, being aware of God, you endure pain while suffering unjustly. If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God’s approval.”

Anyone can endure when things are going well. And enduring suffering brought on by our poor choices is nothing extraordinary. However, enduring unfair treatment with patience is particularly noteworthy. When we respond in such a supernatural way, God is pleased. May the Lord grant us this kind of patience. He modeled it on the Cross, and he can give it to us as well.