Patience Makes Perfect

Today's Verse:

But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. ~James 1:4

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Are you a patient person? Are you someone who has to be told, “Hold your horses”? All of us are born with a very low patience level. We are not patient when it comes to lines, traffic, getting our food at a restaurant, and mostly other people. We tend to rush, become irritable, and get very annoyed because of our lack of patience. However, patience is a spiritual virtue that God places into our life, whether we like it or not. 

We see the disruption. 

“Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.” God sends trials and tribulation into our life to teach us patience. This includes illnesses, setbacks, rejection, financial loss, loss of employment, the passing of a loved one, and conflicts. These are unanticipated disruptions. We did not plan for them. These are unusual disruptions. They hit us hard and occupy our thoughts. These are unwanted disruptions. We want them to go away fast. Trials and troubles are God’s gifts that He uses to do the work of patience in our life. No event in our life is ever a surprise to God. See every setback and trial as a divine disruption for our benefit. 

We see the delay. 

One of the most difficult aspects of a trial or tribulation is waiting. We cannot rush God or the process. Things move slowly. The more stressed out we are, the more urgent we want the trial to go away. We have to wait for answers. We have to wait to get well. We have to wait for the right person to respond. We have to deal with multiple delays. The delays make us climb a wall! The delays make us more anxious.

We see the duration. 

Trials are open-ended as to time. We do not know when they will end. A trial can last weeks, months, and even years. David’s trial involving King Saul lasted several years. Job’s trial lasted several months and possibly years. He could not control the duration of his trial. During his trial, he experienced insurmountable losses. He came under heavy criticism as if he was the reason for the trials. Minutes felt like days, days felt like months, and months felt like years. The duration of a trial and our response to it determines how long God will keep us in it. 

We see the discipline. 

Patience must have her perfect work. Paul said that patience works out experience. Patience is a virtue of grace that is required in the Christian life. We must be patient and live out our Christian life in anticipation of the Lord’s coming. We must be patient with ourselves and with others. Patience is keeping our opinions to ourselves. Patience is yielding the right of way to other people who are going in the opposite direction of us. Patience is developed in us through fiery trials. It is a spiritual discipline that is developed by making us uncomfortable, desperate, and humble. If we do right, our praying improves when we go through a trial. The discipline of a trial helps us to identify areas of our life where we must die to self and live for God. 

Let patience have her perfect work. Yes, patience makes perfect in making us spiritually fit for God’s use. 

Have a patient God Morning! 

Reading Schedule: Proverbs 1-3

#James #Patience