Being Patient

One of the characteristics that most people say they don’t have or need more of is patience.

The meaning of patience is being able to accept or tolerate delays, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious.

We all know that patience is a great virtue and that we want more patience in our own makeup.

In James 5:7-12 James deals with the virtue of patience.

James 5:7-12

Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against each other brothers, or you will be judged. The judge is standing at the door! Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

James gives two examples of patience.

Example #1: Farmers

Farmers have to wait.

They wait for:

The rain to come

The crops to grow

The harvest to come

The farmer as he waits trusts God.

He trusts:

That the rain will come

That the crops will grow

That the harvest will come

The farmer stands firm even when the rain doesn’t come when it should.

The farmer stands firm even when the crops don’t grow as they should.

The farmer stands firm even when the harvest isn’t as plentiful as he wants.

Example #2: The Prophets

The prophets had patience as they faced suffering.

The prophets had patience as they faced persecution.

The prophets had patience as they shared the message God gave them and no one paid any attention.

James mentions Job’s suffering as an example of a prophet of God suffering great hardships and suffering but, through perseverance, experiencing God’s restoration.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is knowing God, waiting patiently in faith trusting that God is good and will come through for us.

James mentions in this passage what patience is not.

Patience is not grumbling against others.

Grumble means to sigh or groan in vigorous and loud complaint against someone or something.

We are told that the people of Israel murmured or grumbled against Moses several times during their wandering in the wilderness. They complained loud and long against him.

Patience is not swearing.

Swearing means to threaten another by an oath.

It is saying things like:

I promise you will pay for that.

As I live I will get you for that.

I swear that I will get you back for you did.

If it’s the last thing I do I will get revenge on you.

The idea is that a person who is exhibiting patience will not be seeking revenge against someone who has wronged them.

In Romans 12:19 Paul tells us not to seek revenge, but leave room for God to defend you.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about trusting God and not complaining or seeking revenge.

James shares three reasons for us to be patient.

First, Jesus is coming back.

When Jesus comes back, everything, I mean everything, will be made completely right. We as God’s people, until then, need to wait, trust and obey.

Second, Jesus is the Judge.

We are not judges. We don’t have the knowledge or wisdom to judge justly. When Jesus tells us not to judge He does it because we don’t have the complete knowledge and thus our judgments will not always be just. We also don’t have the wisdom to judge justly. Jesus also tells us not to judge because it frees us. It frees us to let God take care of passing judgements on others.

If you have ever judged someone, you know it is hard work. It causes us to expend time and a lot of emotional energy. That is time and energy that we could spend serving God.

Let Jesus be the Judge.

Third, the Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

Jesus is compassionate. We see it as He dealt with the woman at the well and the woman taken in adultery.

Jesus is full of mercy. We see it as He dealt with Zacchaeus and Peter.

We are followers of Jesus so we are to show to the world who Jesus is. When we show patience, compassion, and mercy we show the world Jesus.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is showing the real Jesus.

Patience is not easy and for most of us it is not natural. I pray that you will join me in asking God to develop in us a supernatural patience that will be seen in our having a joy, a compassion, and a mercy that is from Him.

Patiently Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls

                                   Joe