“Patience is a virtue,” but it is also an act of kindness. Patience is not a characteristic of our society. With advances in industry and technology has come impatience. We want everything right when we want it – now. We want our cars to go fast, and the internet to be even faster. We want instant knowledge, instant noodles and instant friendships. We want instant love and for others to instantly be like we want them to be. We want God to answer our prayers instantly, and how we want them answered. However, God is a patient God, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.
God is Patient
God models patience for us. Let’s take Noah for an example. By several scholars’ calculations, it took Noah somewhere between 55 -75 years to build the ark. Not once in the account of Noah do we see God saying, “Hurry up Noah,” or “Move aside, Noah, you are going too slow. I’ll just do it myself.” Even though mankind had become intolerably evil to God, God patiently waited for Noah and his family to build the ark, store up enough food for themselves and the animals and gather all the animals on board. He gave Noah a job to do, and then He waited patiently for it to be completed
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God is immeasurably patient with us. He knows it will take a lifetime for us to build our faith in Him and abandon all we are to become like Him. In fact, God knew we couldn’t become holy on our own efforts so He sent His son to cover our sins with His blood, so that we will be able to come into his holy presence in eternity. As it says in Colossians 2:10a, …in Him [Jesus] you have been made complete. God is waiting patiently for the Gospel to be spread to all mankind so all may have the chance to accept His gift of grace and come to live with Him for all eternity. We need to thank God for His patience with us as we develop into citizens of Heaven and spread His Good News before Jesus returns.
Know this first, that there shall come scoffers in the last days who walk after their own lusts, and say, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things have continued as they were since the beginning of the creation.” …But, beloved, do not be ignorant of this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some count slowness. But He is patient with us, because He does not want any to perish, but all to come to repentance. II Peter 3
:3-4, 8-9
God Commands Patience
But avoid foolish and unlearned debates, knowing that they create strife. The servant of the Lord must not quarrel, but must be gentle toward all people, able to teach, patient, in gentleness instructing those in opposition. Perhaps God will grant them repentance to know the truth, and they may escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. II Timothy 2:23-26
As Believers, we are required to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. In so doing, we will encounter those who will want to argue with the truth. How are we to respond? Paul has given advice to Timothy that we can follow that shows God’s love for others and not our judgement on them. We aren’t supposed to argue and definitely we aren’t to lose our tempers. Rather, we are to meet the unbeliever where they are, and teach with patience and gentleness. It ultimately is the unbeliever’s decision whether to believe the truth or not. It may take more than one encounter with a Christian, gently telling the Good News, before an unbeliever is ready to accept Jesus as their Savior. We are to be patient with him/her and continue to pray for their salvation. Remember, the goodness/kindness of God leads one to repentance (Romans 2:4b). If God is patient with us, we need to be patient with others.
As we learn to be more like our Father, we will exhibit more of His traits. In other words, the fruits of the Spirit will become a part of our own character. Patience is one of the fruits. By showing God’s patience to others you are showing God’s love and kindness.
Maybe you weren’t born a patient person. If this is so, which was my case, pray for patience. And I don’t mean once in a while, but fervently pray for patience. As you do, God will give you opportunities to build your patience. It doesn’t happen overnight.
I prayed for patience for eight years before it was exhibited in my life. I was teaching ESL in China at the time. The Dean of the English Department came in and observed my class. After class he told me, “You are the most patient teacher I have ever seen.” I just had to smile, because I knew it was God’s patience he had seen, not mine. If you need to pray for patience, don’t give up, pray patiently for patience. God will give you His.
Photo Credit: Elsey, W. 2019. https://wayneelsey.com/the-power-of-patience-4-tips-for-self-development/
