Patience Week 2

We talked about how important patience is. But here’s the question!

How can we develop patience?

JOKE - Don’t ask God for patience, because he’ll give you trials.

I’ve heard a lot of people having a strong opinion on how to do this.

I think there’s a lot easier start biblically to this process.

This week we’re focusing on one idea.

If you want patience, ask for wisdom

Proverbs 19:11 NIV

A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.

The proverb here argues two things. The FIRST is

If you have wisdom - it will result in patience

James 5:7–8 NIV

Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.

James says - look at the farmer. They sow, and wait for the crop.

Patience in THIS life means understanding that we understand the principle that we

Sow now to reap then

We’re the farmers here. Our actions are the seeds.

But the crop isn’t wealth or fame or health. It’s the return of the Lord.

So we learn patience, we learn to stand firm, because what we’re doing now is sowing - not reaping.

There’s a hard flipside to this -

If you’re impatient - seek wisdom before answers

Impatience is like a yellow flag in our lives. If we’re feeling it - take a step back.

There MAY be something wrong on the outside that does need to get fixed. But there IS something in us that needs to get fixed.

So when you’re feeling impatience - learn to say, Lord, give me wisdom in this circumstance. Help me to see it a different way. Help me to see it YOUR way, instead of MY way.

The second thing the proverb argues:

Being the ‘wronged one’ is to your glory

This is NOT something that makes sense in the natural. This one requires the supernatural.

Paul encorages us:

Romans 12:19–21 NIV

Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

This is the ultimate act of patience. Even in a circumstance where we’re owed vengence (remember, the Lord isn’t saying - that person doesn’t deserve vengeance. He’s saying, let ME handle that), Jesus wants us to bless and love.

It takes colossal wisdom and patience to say, ‘I am not going to handle this now, because I know God will - and he’ll actually do it right’.

This one is hard because like i said earlier, it requires that supernatural component.

Paul talks about a dynamic here that we need to understand:

Patience means overcoming - impatience means being overcome

If we have patience, we’re walking down the road Jesus wants. Building love, compassion, care, outreach.

If we have impatience, it means following the path WE want. Fast answers, immediacy, vengeance.

Why is this important?

This is the way Jesus lived

Hebrews 12:1–3 NIV

Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.