Patience Required

“2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” – James 1: 2-4

Oftentimes, we hear the word the patience attributed to a person who waits without complaining; and rightly so.  We see someone standing in line at the DOT or the grocery store, and the clerk or sales attendant is taking forever; yet there that person waits, patiently.  This is in fact patience, but an elementary patience; for the patience of the saint must far exceed simply not getting flustered at the grocery store.  The saint must be patient in knowing that God’s way is the best way.  This kind of patience will work in us a desire to want nothing; and if we want nothing, the devil has nothing to lure us out of the will of God. 

In the book of Genesis we find the story of Joseph.  The story of Joseph is a story of faith and patience.  Joseph was a righteous man who was sold into slavery by his own kin.  However, God was with him and he eventually became a trusted steward over his master’s entire house; until he was wrongfully accused and put into prison, but God was with him.  He was soon promoted to the head of the prison and made the keeper of the keys.  Not long after, at the recommendation of the butler, Joseph was called out of prison and elevated to second in command of the whole kingdom.  When famine struck the land, it was Joseph who held the keys to the storehouses full of Egyptian corn; he had the supply and the world was in demand.  This demand included his betraying brothers.  When he, and his brothers who sold him, finally met face to face and they realized it was their younger brother who they had sold into slavery; this man, now holds their fate in his hands; they trembled in fear for surly he would send them away to starve.  However, Joseph simply said “for God did send me before you to preserve life.” (Genesis 45:5) Joseph’s faith and his resolve were tested; but he LET patience have her perfect work; knowing throughout that God was in control, never once “forcing” the issue.  He served God as a slave, as a jailor, as chief of staff, no matter his: position, status, or place in life, the resolve is still the same: “I am trusting that God’s way is best.”  The seed was sown in a vision in Joseph’s youth, and it took a long time before the fruit was fully come, but it did come and Joseph was patient.   With this story in mind, one can begin to see how important it is to have Biblical patience.  God has something beautiful planned for our lives, but if we are not in the will of God; how can that plan come to pass? 

Patience bends us to the will of God; maybe you have a health situation that is out of your control; have patience, stay in the will of God, he has a purpose.  Perhaps you are single longing for a mate, have patience, stay in the will of God, he has a purpose.  No matter your trial, no matter the temptation, have patience, for if you let patient have her perfect work you find that you want nothing, and Satan has no tool which to coax you out of the will of God.  The scripture says “But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed” (James 1:14).  The hardest animal to catch or kill is one that wants for nothing.  You can kill a deer by dumping a pile of corn on the ground.  You can catch a fish by using a worm.  However, if the deer is not hungry and the fish ain’t bitin’………..you’re going home empty handed. 

So, let patience have her perfect work; stay in the Word, pray oft, go to church, surround yourself with the counsel of the righteous, let patience have her perfect work; the devil will have no wiggle room, and God will have his way.