In Your Patience . . .
Frequently one hears the Words of Jesus from Luke 21:19 repeated, especially when one is frustrated and aggravated with the issues of daily life. He said: In your patience possess ye your souls. But have we ever stopped to think what this means? In the direct context Christ is telling His apostles of the pending destruction of Jerusalem as verse 20 affirms and instructions are given in that particular case in verse 21. And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. 21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.
Patient – by definition is: bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint; manifesting forbearance under provocation or stain; or not being hasty or impetuous. Therefore the statement of Jesus in Luke 21:19 to His apostles did not mean for them to just sit calmly by and let things unfold and all would be alright. This is why in the context listed above, Jesus gave direct instructions of something they had to do for their own good to avoid being killed in the destruction of Jerusalem.
In regard to Christian living, the Hebrews Christians were told the same thing in Hebrews 10:36 rather than succumbing to the temptation of forsaking the Law of Christ in returning to the Law of Moses as the Judaizing teachers were urging them to do. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. Lack of patience would have caused the Hebrews Christians to reject the New Testament Law of Christ and cost them their souls.
But how does this apply to us today? The New Testament Word of God is written in such a way to show that the need of patience is for all, and gives examples from life itself. In James 5:7 we see the example of patience in the example of the husbandman and his need to wait for the development of fruit before the harvest can occur. Be 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. If the farmer has to learn patience regarding his crops, should we not also learn patience regarding our souls?
Perhaps this is why in 2Peter 1:5-8, the passage known as the Christian graces instructs us as Christians to “add” to our faith, and for what reasons all these things are to be added. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Notice that patience is in that list, so it too is something we are to add.
Patience is something we sometimes have to be reminded of when things are not going so well. When things become problematic; situations are hectic and it seems that all in which we are involved is going badly, that is when patience is most needed. The Spirit had Paul write the Roman brethren that the trials they were to endure was to help them. (Romans 5:3-4) And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
This should help us all see that patience is something that must be learned. It is not a trait that comes as part of the package when we are born. The ability to learn it is there, but it has to be developed. But how is it to be learned? As young children, perhaps our parents tried to teach us patience by having us wait for something we desired. That helps, but this is simply an application through which we learn patience. Where does patience originate? It originates with, or comes from God. We find in Romans 15:4-5 that God had His Word written so we might learn and then patiently hope for the promises given once we obeyed what God said to do to become His children. But it also tells us God is the God of patience. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. 5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
Let’s spend more time in the Word of God, do the things He directs therein and develop more patience for this life and live it so that we will spend eternity with Him. (2Peter 3:9)
Dennis Strickland – Mooresville church of Christ
