Everything these days is seemingly fast paced! Matter of fact, I am now in my second location of the day trying to acquire wi-fi so that I can write this while we have our air vents cleaned at our house. Frustration instantly set in whenever the internet server at my original place of choice didn’t work. So, here I am writing in a hurry due to time crunch for my next appointment. Hence, my topic of choice today—PATIENCE.

I know, I know, you got SO excited when I mentioned that word right?! :-) I’ve heard numerous people say that if you pray for more patience, don’t be surprised when you are given opportunities to be patient. Have you ever lost your cool in traffic because of course you end up behind the car doing 15 under the speed limit and you’re now going to be late?Regardless of if it was your fault that you’re running behind to begin with or not, this slower than molasses car is now the source of blame and *BOOM* impatience shows it’s ugly face.

People often say, “Patience is a virtue”. I can agree with that! I’ve seen those moms with multiple children who are all calm, collected and can carry on normal conversations with other adults while kindly discipling their children. My jaw drops and my hat salutes these type of women (and the patience ANY mom has on a given day). I aspire to be as calm as them one day which may or may not be induced by sedatives ;-) Joking aside, patience is something that is noticed in our lives when we are diligent to reveal it. 

I think of how patient people were during the great depression to stand in line for food hand outs. In a most devastating time of their lives, they were willing to pay the price of waiting to get what was necessary, their food. Sadly, I doubt that our society would stand in lines quite as patiently now. We’re used to our quick fix problems (like my husband fixing my computer in 4 minutes just now) and we often don’t like to wait for things that we really need. If we do, often our attitudes are very impatient. We’re all guilty of then ” But WHEN God?!” question. 

This is where James 1:4 articulates so wonderfully, “But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.” The work of patience is a fruit of the Holy Spirit according to Galatians 5 and is interchangeable for the word “long-suffering”. The actual Greek word, makrothymia, means, “properly, long-passion, i.e. waiting sufficient time before expressing anger”.  This type of patience is divine and can only come from God which is why patience is a fruit of the Spirit. The reason we need patience is not merely to make appointments on time, deal with difficult people and respond in kindness, but so we can receive the will of God for our lives. Only by the grace and empowerment of His Spirit will we be able to endure with true patience and have purpose in our waiting.

I was thinking of some friends this morning who went to Denver a few years ago to audition for American Idol. I lived in Colorado at the time and went to meet up with them. They shared their stories of waiting in lines for hours and hours only to not even make it past the first round of judges. They are both extremely talented singers and their hearts were devastated. They had been willing to travel and wait in ridiculously long lines just for a chance to audition for the show. This type of example to me shows that when it really comes down to it, we will wait for what really matters to us. BUT are we willing to wait for what matters to God?

Going back to the scripture in James, when patience (an empowerment of the character of God) has its perfect work, it matures us, completes us and leaves us lacking nothing. Nothing. What do you feel like you are lacking right now? What immaturities are glaring at you? What are you waiting for that you’ve yet to receive? Patience is the answer and its fruit will leave you lacking no good thing.

God has the perfect plan for your future in all ways. He will not leave you abandoned in a place where you don’t have what you need. You may not always have what you want, but that’s a check to keep your desires in Him. Keep diligently seeking Him, aligning your heart to His ways, and waiting on Him. I pray as you do, you’d be satisfied with the sweet taste of the fruit of patience.