Patience is not a dirty word.

Jas 1:2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance (patience)* has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
Jas 5:7 Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord's return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. 8 You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near. 9 Don't grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. For look "the Judge is standing at the door! 10 For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy. (NLT) * my note.

"Whatever you do, don't pray for patience." If you've been around the American church long you have heard that statement. It's usually said as if the person saying it prayed for patience and they heard God in heaven respond, "MUHAHAHAHAHA, I've just been waiting for some fool to pray that prayer so I can show just how cruel I can be."

We've been discussing the fruit of the Spirit and this week we we've reached "patience". Keep in mind that this is part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit and therefore it is already in you. So again we ask the question, "If it is in me what will it take to unlock the door to get at it?" The answer is "trials, troubles, tribulations".

Does that frighten you? James told us to consider it an opportunity for joy. Why? Because in the troubles our endurance (patience) grows; is made complete or mature or perfect. When patience is fully grown we will have need of nothing. In other words, we will be completely content with God and His provision. We won't be whining, we will be trusting.

When we cringe with fear at the prospect of gaining patience we show that we do not fully trust that God is full of tenderness and mercy. (James 5:11)

Today, when troubles come, rejoice because that means God is perfecting your patience. Trust Him because He is full of tenderness and mercy.

Love in Christ,
Steve Sherwood Sr