Be Always Patient

For in this hope we were saved.  But hope that is seen is no hope at all.  Who hopes for what they already have?  But if we hope for what we do not have, we wait for it patiently.

–Rom 8:24-25

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who have been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained.  They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”  Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been.

–Rev 6:9-11

Joyce Meyer (b. 1943), a Christian author and speaker wrote, “I believe that a trusting attitude and a patient attitude go hand in hand.  You see, when you let go and learn to trust God, it releases joy in your life.  And when you trust God, you’re able to be more patient.  Patience is not just about waiting for something…it’s about how you wait, or your attitude while waiting.”  That’s why in Genesis 29:20 we read that “Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.”  Such patience is a virtue mentioned throughout the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.  We could therefore say like Napoleon Hill (1883–1970), a self-help author: “Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.”

Art of Patience

A Brazilian lyricist and novelist, Paulo Coelho (b. 1947) stated, “I have seen many storms in my life.  Most storms have caught me by surprise, so I had to learn very quickly to look further and understand that I am not capable of controlling the weather, to exercise the art of patience and to respect the fury of nature.”  In Luke 15:11-24 we learn about the story of The Prodigal Son.  The younger and older sons faced storms in their lives.  The younger squandered his wealth in wild living, hired himself out feeding pigs, hit rock bottom, and eventually returned to his loving Father, who greeted him regally.  The older was jealous about his brother’s reception.  He never received any special treatment, and couldn’t accept his Father’s explanation concerning the joy about a lost son coming home, who was lost, and was found.  The patience of the Father to keep waiting for his son to return was exemplary of how God awaits sinners.

The Right Time

Carl Jung (1875–1961), a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst wrote, “Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word happy would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness.  It is far better to take things as they come along with patience and equanimity.”  This was true for Harriet Tubman (1822–1913), an abolitionist who saved over one-thousand slaves when she stressed, “Every great dream begins with a dreamer.  Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”  That’s why we read in 2 Thessalonians 1:4-5 that among God’s churches we boast about perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials we endure.