“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.
