Patience: August 5, 2010

Today's Word for Thursday August 5, 2010

PATIENCE

DEFINITION
The bearing of provocation; misfortune or pain without complaint; ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay; quiet; steady; even tempered.

SCRIPTURE

"Make haste to help me O Lord." Psalm 70:1

"But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

In the first verse above, David showed his lack of patience. In the second verse Isaiah relates to us that we need to learn to wait upon the Lord. Like David we do not like to wait. We dislike long lines at the super market, traffic jams, waiting to eat at a restaurant and even waiting for a friend or family member.

We live in a day when everyone wants instant gratification. We want everything now. When we pray and ask God for something, if it does not happen right away, we are like David. We say, "Hurry up Lord and answer my prayer." Patience requires perseverance. In James 1:2 to 4, James tells us to "consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops patience. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

Waiting for God to answer a prayer can cause us to doubt. Is God really listening? Does He hear our prayers? We can be assured that God does answer our prayers. His timetable is not the same as ours but His timing is always perfect. Waiting may test our faith, but learning to have patience is part of becoming a mature Christian and being what God wants us to be.

In our family it is a known fact that I [Ken] do not like to wait and basically I am very impatient. It is my nature to want to have things done yesterday. Fortunately she (Dottie) is a perfect balance because she is always very patient. As I (Ken) have grown older I have worked hard to try to be more patient. Through this exercise I have realized the importance of balancing my emotional impatience with what God wants me to do spiritually - wait upon Him.

Several times we have been amused when we think of a statement that the great preacher of years ago said in a sermon on patience. His illustration was completed when he said: By perseverance the snail reached the ark. Now that is patience.

Patience brings on success. Success is largely a matter of patience to persevere and endure until the end.

LEARNING

Our memory verse for this week is found in Philippians 1:21:

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

PRAYER

Dear Lord, give me patience today and help me to wait upon You to renew my strength. Help me to be patient with all those I will be with today. Help our family to be patient with one another. Give our family today the kind of patience that You will honor by allowing us to run and not be weary and to walk and not be faint.