It is difficult at times to not feel impatient. Modern life seems to be a constant rush and we get caught up in the flow of it and often get irritated if there are things that “hold us back.” Yet, we are called to be imitators of Christ; and to fulfill our design “in the image of God.” And God is patient.
Exodus 34: 6 says: “And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, [is] merciful and gracious, longsuffering [patient] and abounding in goodness and truth.”
Peter expands on this characteristic of God by explaining how His longsuffering benefits us and a reason for it: “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3).” God bares with us to give us opportunity to turn to Him and to become more like Him.
This is illustrated in Jesus’ words in Matthew 13:
24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. 27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ 28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”
I don’t want to focus here on the weeds, but rather that the man [allegorically God] let His harvest mature. He was patient and did not want to destroy his own.
If we are to be like God we need to be clothed in His nature. Paul writes in Colossians 3: 12: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” It is telling that patience is often tied to humility in the scriptures. This I think goes back to my introduction and that we become impatient when things become inconvenient to US. Focusing on ourselves disproportionately is the root of pride.
The “preacher” Ecclesiastes 7: 8 reminds us: “The end of something is better than its beginning. [And that] Patience is better than pride.” Paul echoes this in 1 Corinthians 13:4: “Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud; it is not arrogant.” Is arrogance and impatience are overcome peace [even in the midst of our rushed lives] ca be found. The writer of Proverbs 15:18 says, “Hot tempers cause arguments, but patience brings peace.”
Therefore, patience is to be sought. Those have developed it have been commended for it in scripture. In Revelation 2, Jesus [the One in the midst of the candlesticks] says to the church at Ephesus:
“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write,
‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 2 “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary‘.”
Note that Jesus praises their patience. Four times He uses terms related to longsuffering in His address to them. If it is praiseworthy by the Lord, shouldn’t we seek to master it? “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9).”
Padre
Padre's Ramblings 