Patience

What is Biblical Patience?

Illustration: “Put your head down and swim.”

The more I would stop and complain, or stop to think about how hard it was, or how much further we had to go, the longer it would take for us to reach out goal.

Patience: “Being steadfast towards a goal, despite opposition, difficulty or adversity.”

Patience is not the same as laziness. It is not quitting and waiting around, but persevering and taking action while you wait for the results of your work to arrive in time.

Patience involves endurance.

Like a warrior who has been cut off from his unit in battle, yet he continues to fight.

We need this type of patience in…

living out our faith.

building a career.

having a healthy marriage.

raising godly children.

developing a personal ministry.

3 Attitudes that You must fight within Yourself

1. Pride

“I deserve better than this!”

“I’m not putting up with this. I’m done.”

“This is way harder than it should be.”

Ecclesiastes 7:8 ESV

Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

If you are proud, you will give up when things get hard, because you will think you don’t deserve this.

We all deal with this in one degree or another.

I deal with this when I take care of my kids:

Go into self-pity: “How come they are all needing my help at the same time! I should get some respect.”

People who really fall into this type of pride:

Make slow progress.

Often hop from one group or job to the next.

Quit when misfortune comes.

2. Anger

Quick tempered when they face adversity, whether through circumstances or people.

“You blocked me from my goal! Ahhh”

Ecclesiastes 7:9 ESV

Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools.

3. Haste

Trying to force a quick outcome instead of implementing the wise approach.

“Get rich quick schemes.”

In my early twenties…

There are best practices for investing and building wealth.

Compound interest is a real thing.

But those who are hasty are setting themselves up for long term-failure.

Proverbs 19:2 ESV

Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.

Sources of Adversity

1. The path Luke 8:12

Luke 8:12 ESV

The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.

2. The Rock Luke 8:13

Luke 8:13 ESV

And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away.

3. The Thorns Luke 8:14

Luke 8:14 ESV

And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.

The Alternative: The Good Luke 8:15

Luke 8:15 ESV

As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

Promises to Those who are patient Heb. 6:11-12

Hebrews 6:11–12 ESV

And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Note Key Words:

Not sluggish

faith

Patience

inherit the promises

Understanding (Prov. 14:29)

Glory, not humiliated by anger (Prov. 19:11)

Accomplishment (Eccl. 7:8)

Power to persuade (Prov. 25:15)

Maturity and Character (James 1:2-4)

A harvest (Gal. 6:9)

Solid Plans (Prov. 21:5)

Christ is the ultimate example Heb. 12:1-3

Hebrews 12:1–3 ESV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.