“Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.”James 5:7-11
In this letter, James is speaking of having patience in the midst of suffering. Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. I find myself many times impatient and having to repent. The toll of life can make us weary and the way of the world can make us very impatient. We long for the return of Jesus Christ for His bride the Church. We long for what is yet to come. And yet we wait.
Much of life consists in of being patient. We have to wait for a lot of things. I wonder if our affluence and our quick paced life has trained us to have less and less patience. After all, marketing of products trains us to want what we want with next day shipping… if we really need to wait.
Looking to the imagery of the farmer waiting for the fruit of the earth would serve us well. We enter one season and immediately long to be in the next one. I know it is spring, but I can’t wait until summer. Or fall. Or winter. I know I am young, but I can’t wait until I’m older. And those who are older wish they could rewind the clock of time.
Plants are budding. Flowers are blooming. Time presses on. And whether or not today seems fast or slow to you we all need to learn more patience.
I wonder that at times in my own sanctification. Shouldn’t I be holier by now? Shouldn’t I have mastered this sin or that sin? Shouldn’t I be further along? And yet this battle with the flesh seems to be a, two steps forward, one step back proposition. The good news is we do not take the journey alone. That precious Holy Spirit, empowers, comforts, and helps us along the way.
Attempting to patiently be more patient…..
And no, we are not there yet…