Saints Always Need Patience

Saints Always Need Patience

 

 

For many different reasons, people often become impatient in their hearts. The apostle Paul also taught that in the last days people would be impatient, or heady (2 Timothy 3:1-4). But the Bible tells us that, above all else, it is important to guard and rule our hearts, which so easily fail to endure, by the Word of God.

 

Proverbs 4:23 “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

Proverbs 16:32 “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.”

 

Therefore, today I would like to consider “patience, or longsuffering.”

 

As Hebrews 12:1 says above, each of us must run the race set before us in our own life. However, Scripture says that this race must be run with patience. In fact, when we think of a race, we may think that we must run quickly and finish it as soon as possible. But since Scripture tells us to run with patience, we can understand that enduring to the end is more important than finishing quickly (Matthew 24:12-13). That is why the apostle Paul said in the passage below that every man who strives for the mastery must be “temperate in all things.”

 

1 Corinthians 9:24-25 “24Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.”

 

Therefore, we must run the race given to us with temperance and patience. And we must remember that both “temperance” and “patience, or longsuffering,” absolutely require the faith of Jesus (Revelation 14:12). This is because if we do not have the faith of Jesus, then we will have no reason to endure ourselves, other people, or the things of this world, and we will not be able to endure. That is why the apostle Paul said:

 

2 Timothy 4:7-8 “7I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.”

 

In this way, Paul taught Timothy that keeping the faith is finishing the course. And he was assured that the righteous Judge, Jesus, would give the crown of righteousness to those who keep the faith to the end. Therefore, in order to run the race with patience, we absolutely need “the faith of Jesus.”

 

Revelation 14:12 “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”

 

Therefore, if we have the assurance of faith that Jesus always lives (Hebrews 7:25), that He sees us all (Jeremiah 17:9-10), and that He will reward every man according to his works (Matthew 16:27), then we will be able to exercise temperance and patience.

 

Psalm 37:1-11 “1Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. 2For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. 3Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. 4Delight thyself also in the LORD; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass. 6And He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. 7Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. 8Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. 9For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. 10For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. 11But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.”

 

There are people in this world who do evil. Scripture says that because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, their hearts are fully set in them to do evil. Yet Scripture also says that, in the end, it shall be well with those who fear God.

 

Psalm 10:3-4 “3For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth. 4The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.”

Ecclesiastes 8:11-13 “11Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. 12Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before Him: 13But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.”

 

Therefore, we must be patient, or longsuffering, toward evildoers. This is because we are not the judge; only Jesus is the Judge (James 4:11-12). Since that righteous Judge has told us to overcome evil with good, and has said that vengeance belongs to Him, we must entrust everything to Jesus.

 

Romans 12:17-21 “17Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 18If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 19Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”

 

Therefore, we must have faith in the word of Jesus, “I will repay,” in order to be patient toward evildoers. Jesus has surely promised that He sees all things, both evil and good (Proverbs 15:3, Psalm 33:13-15), and that He will render to every man according to his works (Revelation 22:11-12). Therefore, just as Jesus, who had no sin, endured even while He suffered at the hands of sinners (Hebrews 12:2), we too must follow that example of faith.

 

Besides this, we become impatient about many things. Even concerning the matter of salvation, although the Bible says that He will avenge His own elect speedily (Luke 18:1-8), we want it to happen “at the time we want.” But what we must understand is that all things are done according to God’s will, not according to our will (Daniel 4:29-35). Rather, the Bible tells us to forsake our own will and desires and follow the will of Jesus (Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 10:5-6). Therefore, we must patiently wait only for the will of Jesus to be fulfilled. And James said that those who endure in this way are blessed.

 

James 5:6-11 “6Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you. 7Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until He receive the early and latter rain. 8Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. 9Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the Judge standeth before the door. 10Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. 11Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.”

 

Therefore, now that we have the faith of Jesus, there is no need for us to become impatient just because the things we want do not happen, or because they are not fulfilled quickly. This is because Jesus is still accomplishing all things according to the words He has spoken, no matter how it may appear to our eyes (Romans 9:27-28). If we try to make things happen by ourselves because of our impatient hearts, we must know that, contrary to our intentions, it may instead bring harm upon us (Ecclesiastes 5:2-3, Romans 13:11-14). Therefore, in all things, instead of becoming impatient according to our own standards and thoughts, we must quietly listen to the words of Jesus and strive only to act according to what He has spoken. Whether this appears slow to us or to others, whether it seems as though nothing is happening, whether nothing great appears or is revealed, or on the contrary, whether we find ourselves in the midst of great events, whether good or bad, none of these things matter. This is because, regardless of how we or others see and feel, Jesus will surely fulfill His words in His own time (Titus 1:2-3). Therefore, until our race is finished, we must always be able to endure with the faith of Jesus.

 

Lamentations 3:17-26 “17And Thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity. 18And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD: 19Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. 20My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. 21This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 22It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. 23They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness. 24The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him. 25The LORD is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him. 26It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.”

 

Amen.