By Pastora Monique Lopez Ong
What does patience mean?
Greek:
Makros - long
Thumos - Temper
The ability to hold one’s temper for a long time.
Long suffering.
When you look at the dictionary, all the words pertaining to the word ‘patience,’ are needed by everyone. Tolerance. Restraint. Persistence. Forbearance. Endurance. Perseverance. Calmness. Humility. Self-control. A patient person is able to endure much pain and suffering without complaining. He is slow to anger as he waits for God to provide the comfort and to fight the battle for them. That is why it is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. You cannot do it without Him. Patience is not the ability to wait but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting. It has been said: trust the process. The time is coming. Just do the work.
So wait. Do not move without thinking. Do not move when you are angry. Do not do anything without talking to God first. Patience comes with a position of power. You are powerful if you are patient. You have the ability for both. Holding your mouth and your anger is a sign of strength. Losing patience is a sign of weakness. There are situations that make you explode. But God is coming. He is in control of everything. Choose to love instead of losing your cool.
One minute of patience is equivalent to ten years of peace, says a Greek proverb. There are patient men in the Bible. You might think that while reading it, you simply go from one story to the next. But if you read it thoroughly, you will see that there are patient men in the Bible. Take Job for example. He lost everything, got sick and all. Job’s sufferings took at least 2 years. But he never cursed God or complained. His friends and even his wife told him to go against God but his faith never wavered. He waited on the Lord and everything was restored to him.
Joseph had dreams but his brothers were envious of him. They sold him into slavery and was even imprisoned. You would think that there was no hope for Joseph. You can go all the way down but there is no way but up. It took 22 years from the time Joseph dreamed his dreams until he became second in command to Pharaoh. Other people give up after only a few days. But God has better plans. Joseph’s eyes were only on Jesus.
David was anointed to be king even when Saul was still the king. When you think about it, he was not even considered to be a king by his own father. But God had other plans. God’s eyes see people in a different light. He was anointed king at 15 but he had to wait. His life was even endangered because Saul wanted him dead. It took 15 years for him to really sit on the throne.
Jesus is the most patient man of all. He is God but He chose to live as a man. He knew people could not really pay for their sins. So He did it on His own. Hebrews 10:12-13 says, “But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool.” Jesus was the perfect model for patience. Even while He was dying,
The fuel for patience is love. Jesus loves you. That is why when you lose you patience, remember that you have no right. God is so patient with you. If He can bear your sins and love you in spite of and despite of, who are you not to do the same. 2 Peter 3:15 says “Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.” 1 Timothy 1:16 also says “But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.” So every time you disqualify yourself and say you will never change, remember that Paul said this same thing to himself. But he did. He changed and brought many people to Christ.
There are many things you do not see that can happen only if you wait. What ifs are your enemy. When you entertain that idea in your head, you doubt. What if you did not change? Where would you be? What if you did not embrace this faith? Where would you be now? The Lord is saying that He is not done with you. He will walk with you. Romans 2:4 says, “Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?”
Sometimes, your problem is your eyes. You look at your problem and not on the Lord. And if you look at the problem, it will look you in the face. Look at God and everything will be so much better. God has every right to get angry with His people. But Romans 9:22 says “What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction?” God is patient with you so be patient with everybody. There is no patient person that does not know God. To lose patience is to lose the battle, says Mahatma Ghandi. Tolerance and patience is not a weakness; they are signs of strength.
Patience is waiting quietly. - You need not open your mouth and sigh. Lamentations 3:5-6 says “He has besieged me and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship. He has made me dwell in darkness like those long dead.” Be quiet and rest on the Lord.
Patience is waiting expectantly. - You have not yet lost the battle. Philippians 1:6 says “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” God is not finished with you yet. Do not give up.
Patience is waiting eagerly. - James 5:7-8 says “Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.” Today might not be a good day, but tomorrow is another one. Be eager and look forward to what God has in store for you.
Patience is waiting joyfully. - James 1:2-4 says “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” You are under training! Do not talk to your problem, talk to the Lord. Do not lose your joy.
Patience is enduring until the very end. - This is difficult. Many give-up after a few tries. But everything has and ending. Hebrews 6:15 says “And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.” He was how many years old when he had Isaac right?
If you like watch movies, some of them have secret endings. Some people wait for it but most of them leave right after the movie ends. The ones who wait get a treat. God has perfect timing. He is never early and never late. It takes a little patience and a lot of time but it is worth the wait. Do not give up. Do not quit. The Lord is not quitting on you. So do not quit. You can do this. The battle is not over. Fight on your knees. Do not fight with your mouth. Surrender to God and stay in the battle. Keep the faith no matter what happens. You have God. He is faithful. He is everything. Do no lose it. Do not give it to anybody. He is not finished with you yet. He is not finished with your story. Whatever is happening right now, hold on to God’s promises. No problem lasts forever. Only Jesus lasts forever. Problems will come and go. But Jesus remains the same yesterday, today and forevermore.
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