Richard Skinner/Jefferson First Assembly of God
We have all heard the cliché, patience is a virtue. If we’re honest many of us are lacking in this virtue. Even more than that, this virtue is not desired by many of us. In our flesh, we often value immediacy. We want our food, cars, internet, video games, shopping, money, and information right now. In fact, we think we deserve it. In this scenario, if we must take a shortcut to get information, money, education, or position, it is often justified in our minds to achieve our goals. We get irritable when those goals aren’t met. We get restless waiting for change to happen. Our frustration rises when our expectations aren’t met by others or from God.
James Garfield was the 20th president of the United States of America. Before that he was the president of Hiram College. One story about that time was that a concerned father approached Garfield and asked if his son could get some accelerated learning and graduate college quickly. Garfield told the father, you can grow squash in a few months, but if you want to be a mighty oak it takes time.
What will we choose? The Holy Spirit resides in a Christian and can produce in us patience as we submit to His will. Why does he want to work patience into our lives? Because God is patient. He is patient with all of mankind, not wanting any to perish (2 Peter 3:9). God the Father gave us a great example in sending us Jesus. First, he patiently waited 30 years in obscurity before his ministry ever began. He then showed great patience with his disciples and their lack of patience, faith, and love. Finally, he endured the humiliation and suffering of the cross so that you and I could be reconciled to God.
With God’s help we can learn to see each frustration, delay, trial, suffering as a chance for God to help us grow (Romans 5:1-5). Each day is an adventure to be conformed into the image of Jesus Christ. My encouragement for you is not to walk this road alone. Look to Jesus for help and immerse yourself in a local church where you can learn, serve, and grow with others going down the same road. Let the fruit of patience produce its fruit in you!