Patience – it looks like an ordinary two syllable word in the English language which supposedly denotes an attribute that most folks seem to strive for, but when one takes a second, more profound look at it, when we compare the word, or at least our individual definition of it, to what wise men of the Scriptures – including Jesus Christ – intended for it to mean, we might be surprised. Sometimes it even seems to have different connotations, each of which take a form of patience to try and discern the writer, or speaker intends to convey.

There are instances in our lives in which we often find ourselves anxious for results in the ongoing drama(s) of the world we inhabit. There are political ongoings, wars, impending climate disasters, and too many other things to mention that some of us try hard to follow, and in almost each case, we have expectations, many of which we don’t necessarily want to see, but nevertheless for the most part we are anxious to know how things will play out. It’s important to note that different people have different expectations, or hopes of their preferred outcomes, and by and large, most folks – even many unbelievers – want satisfactory outcomes, but darker minds exhibit hopes of less than optimum outcomes – especially for their adversaries. When darker outcomes are in play, the unbeliever typically exhibits less patience, primarily because the unbeliever follows Satan, which means he knows his time here is short.

The Bible lists patience (longsuffering) as one of the fruits of the Spirit [Galatians 5:22-23]: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law., so wishing for ill to come upon our fellow travelers would definitely not be a satisfactory expectation for the believer. It cannot be the type of patience of which the apostle speaks when he lists the different gifts of the Spirit because the Spirit of God would never bestow a gift to His people which would allow them to wish bad things to come upon others. The patience Paul mentions is the quiet patience in which the believer abides in his/her faith awaiting the great reward of an eternal home in Paradise. This same patience is for the believer who works incessantly with fellow travelers, especially those who are unbelievers to show them the way to Christ – we speak the Gospel to them and patiently allow the Spirit to take them where they need to go. Another example of the patience of the Spirit is that instead of whining and feeling sorry for ourselves when we are under the weather, we pray to our Father for healing and patiently await His blessed touch to heal us.

When we are faced with scorn and mocking for our faith, instead of getting our hackles up and returning wrath with wrath, we turn the other cheek; we patiently pray for those who do not know better, pray that God will show them the same path we have been shown. That is what our Gospel has taught us. That is what our patience demands.

When a crazy old man sends out a post to try and encourage his readers in their Spiritual pursuits, he must patiently await some views (and comments) that indicate at least some of his effort is being rewarded. Most often this is not the case, but patience must nevertheless prevail. Since he has been convinced of the imperative of helping with the harvest, he patiently continues, and he strives to convince that in these end times more help is needed. The Lord has spoken: [Matthew 9:37,38]: “Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

Be patient, beloved friends. The wars being waged, both in this world and in the unseen realm, will end in God’s time. What our patience must consider above all else is that when we stand before the Judgement throne, we must at all costs be able to stand before our Judge with confidence that we tried our best to work according to His will. We must at all costs patiently wait to hear those words which will carry more impact, more value than any utterance that ever will have been heard by humankind, “Well done, My good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord”.

Impatience is one of the hallmarks of the human condition – and God understands that, but we still must wait for Him for all things. Even during the opening of the seals at the end times, the martyrs are anxious to see the avengement of their blood but are admonished to be patient a little longer: Revelation [6:9-11]:  “When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. ¹⁰ And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” ¹¹ Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.” It sounds fearsome from this side of the river, but the Paradise they (we) have coming will make that patience more than worth the wait, and the martyrdom as nothing to fear at all, but that will be realized once we see it from the other side.

Back here on this side, even though we are to be patient, the time is nevertheless growing short, and we have to grab our sickles and take to the fields.

May the blessings of the Almighty Father find and keep us.

MK