Patient in Faith 5

James 5:7-8

Mark Twain is quoted as saying, “Everyone complains about the weather, but no one does anything about it.” It’s funny, but it’s true – and it’s true because there is nothing we can do about the weather. And who knows better than farmers?

They till their fields, plant the crops, fertilize and tend to them, but ultimately they must trust in the perseverance of the plants to endure no matter what the weather brings.

The same is true of the faithful believer. We can have faith. We can believe. We can pray and study Scripture, and we can strive to imitate Christ in our thoughts and actions. But we have no idea what is coming our way. We have no idea what all the challenges of life we will face. And sometimes there is nothing we can do to stop them. We just need to be ready to face them.

What does James urge us to do? What example does he give? What does he encourage in verse 8?

One obvious interpretation of this passage is that believers must be patient and wait for the Second Coming of Christ. The faithful are to wait with anticipation the Day of Judgment when all who love Jesus will be taken up to heaven.

But I also believe we are called on to be patient for the times that are coming before that final judgment. As farmers must wait for the yield of crops, we too must be patient to see the yield of our faith.

James urges us to stand firm. We are to stand firm in our faith, having complete confidence that God will be with us as we go through the hardships of life. God can give us the strength and peace to endure the challenges and temptations we face.

The Lord’s coming is near, and it is more than just the final day of mortal existence. The Lord will come to you – he is near to you – when situations challenge your trust in God or when troubles make you want to doubt or you see yourself as weak.

DAILY CHALLENGE: what can help you stand firm in your faith?

Patient in Faith 4

Romans 5:3-4

As a parent it may be difficult to watch your child grow and develop. It is part of the maturing process to try things, fail, try again, and ultimately succeed. Just as the saying goes – you learn from your mistakes – you also grow stronger as you repeatedly attempt certain activities.

Little children must learn how to walk on their own. You can’t walk for them, and as they learn there will be the occasional fall. But eventually those falls will become less and less as the child develops, grows, and becomes stronger and more able.

The same is true of faith. When we turn our hearts over to God we are given faith. We know in our souls that we are loved by God and we get that incredible sense of grace from the Lord. But that is the beginning. We must continue to grow and develop spiritually from that point. And along the way we will face challenges and possible setbacks, but these can help us become stronger.

Paul offers encouragement in the fifth chapter of Romans. Why should we rejoice? What does suffering produce? What does perseverance produce? What does character produce?

We certainly do not want or need to go out looking for trouble and challenges, but when they come our way we should meet them with confidence. Paul claims that Christians rejoice in their suffering. This is hard to do and may be an overstatement.

Rather than rejoice because we have troubles, we should rejoice in the opportunity of growth. When we face troubles we are given the opportunity to become better people, believers with a stronger faith.

When troubles and challenges strike we can have the confidence that God will work with us to overcome them and He will help to build us up. The challenges teach us to persevere, to keep plugging away and to hold on dearly to our relationship with Jesus. As we make it through our troubles we are stronger, our faith is deeper. Our relationship is proved to be valid and strong.

With that we have more character, a better, more sound and secure connection to God. And that gives us hope, hope that as we face future challenges we will again be able to rely on God and grow stronger in our faith.

DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you develop a sense of hope to face challenges and troubles?

Patient in Faith 3

Romans 12:11-12

In college I contracted mononucleosis, a debilitating illness that weakens the body so much that simply walking across a room can exhaust you. The remedy was to take medications, but also to rest. This was difficult to do because after several hours of lying in bed I felt that I had regained my strength. But when I tried to do anything I was worn out after the smallest activity.

I quickly learned that I had to be patient in my affliction. The best thing to do was to be sick, allowing my body to work through the illness until I improved.

In his letter to the church in Rome Paul has advice on faith. What are we to keep? What should be our attitude? What should we do?

It can be so difficult to maintain our faith sometimes. We are faced with temptations and challenges in life, and we may join in with the disciples who asked Jesus to increase their faith (Luke 17:5). But faith is not always something that comes in full force and in an instant.

We must learn to be patient in our faith. That patience may involve waiting through the difficult situations trusting that God will use those times to build us up. But being patient in our faith does not mean we sit by idly and watch.

Patience in faith requires attentiveness on our part and an investment of our hearts, souls and minds.

As we wait to be stronger in our faith we must work to build up that faith. We are called to have zeal – passion, eagerness – in our spiritual attitude. While we wait we must have joy in anticipation that God will be working with us and through us, and that God will resolve the issues we face.

The best way to achieve this is to be faithful in our prayers. We can pray for stronger faith. We can pray for the patience we need to wait for that time when God will finally call on us to act. We can pray to grow nearer to the Lord, to have our spirits draw closer to the Holy Spirit that we might be more Christ-like in our thoughts and actions.

DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you have zeal for God’s kingdom? How can you still have spiritual fervor even if this is a time of waiting?

Patient in Faith 2

Luke 6:20-21

Anticipation is not always a good thing. It can feel very frustrating to have to put off satisfaction until later. Preparing a delicious meal and smelling all the food cooking can really whet your appetite for what you will eat, but waiting can drive you to madness. Watching the mail for that check you are expecting or that package you ordered can seem an eternity.

But as I grow older I find that I am more willing to put off that time of reward and completeness and enjoy the time of waiting. It may seem odd, but there is a sense of thrill to be expecting something good that is coming your way. And the longer you can anticipate, the more rewarding is the arrival, it seems.

Jesus presents some concepts of anticipation in his “Sermon on the Mount.” Who is blessed? What can they expect to happen?

In his teaching Jesus went straight to the heart of the matter and talked about some real issues for the common person. He talked about poverty, not having enough money to make it comfortably from day to day. He talked about being sad.

When he talked about these things, though, he offered a promise that the people (and us) could hold onto. Things will get better. Be patient. God will move in wonderful ways and things will improve and be wonderful.

Just as I have grown older and learned that anticipating is something I can put up with and almost enjoy, so it is with those who have a maturing faith. Becoming a Christian and becoming a follower of God means that you are entered into a life and journey of expectation and anticipation.

As believers in God we are on a journey of faith. We can (hopefully) see our own spiritual strength and discipline grow deeper and better year after year. With each passing year we learn to expect more and more holy moments and encounters with God. We learn to anticipate more opportunities to serve God.

Ultimately, we are also living a life of expectation – expecting to be gathered home in glory. We anticipate a final return of Christ, and until that day we live a life expecting to see God moving in our lives and the lives of others. We expect to see God’s grace and mercy and justice.

This anticipation and expectation should bring us hope, and in that hope we should find joy.

DAILY CHALLENGE: What can make it easier for you to put up with life’s struggles?

Patient in Affliction 5

1 Thessalonians 5:4-6

Often when I am awakened by the alarm clock or startled out of sleep by a noise I am very confused. Because I have been in a deep sleep I wake up disoriented, not certain where I am our what day it is. It takes a moment to get my bearings. I stop the noise and take time to begin thinking clearly before I move on.

On a spiritual level it is easy to be disoriented in life, especially in times of hardship and troubles. We can feel doubt and confusion as to what is going on and what the solutions may be.

I think often of the many devotional guides that are put out to help in matters of faith. One of the beginning exercises in many of these publications is called “Centering Moments.” It is a directed time to get your spiritual bearings, to clear your heart and soul of distractions and confusion, and center – or focus – on God.

How are the faithful described in verse 4? What is said in verse 5 of those who believe? What direction is given?

We know that troubles are not taken away from us just because we believe in God and have faith in Jesus Christ. Even the most dedicated believer will be confronted with problems and challenges, heartache, sorrows, and pain. But as this letter to the church in Thessalonica sates, we should not be surprised by this.

Our faith in God should allow us to face the problems of life without being disoriented or confused. Our faith should be strong enough that troubled times – affliction – should not shake our confidence. As children of light – that is, people who belong to God – we should be alert to any situation that may confront us. We should be spiritually alert, braced for the problems with the strength that comes in our faith in God.

No matter what problems or worries may strike us we should be able to be patient in our afflictions, trusting that we are not alone in our plight, but that we are in the company of our Lord and Savior. The firm foundation of our confidence in God should enable us to withstand the troubles of life and keep us centered on the power, love and mercy of our heavenly Father.

Our faith in God, our acceptance of Christ as Savior, our Christian values and beliefs are not just solutions to problems. They are also strengths we build up so that we are ready to face the problems of life.

DAILY CHALLENGE: Is there a prayer or Bible verse that you can use to create a centering moment for you at the start of each day?

Patient in Affliction 4

Daniel 3:16-25

Jesus warned the disciples, and us, that in this life we will face troubles. There is no avoiding all the problems that can come our way. What is important, however, is that we are prepared to face the perils and sorrows of life.

Today’s passage is from the story of three companions to Daniel – Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. King Nebuchadnezzar has commanded that at a musical signal everyone is to fall down and worship his image, but these three men hold firm to their Jewish heritage and refuse to worship the king (Daniel 3:1-15).

What confidence do the three men have? What was their punishment? How do we know the furnace is truly hot? What does the king witness?

There was no getting out of the punishment that the king had ordered for Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. But they were ready to face their punishment because they trusted in God’s power. If you continue with the story you will see that nothing happens to these three men. Not only are they not burned, their clothes do not burn and they even have no odor of smoke or fire about them (see Daniel 3:26-27).

In this story we can see that it is not the troubles we face that is important but how we face the troubles. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were slaves in a foreign land and had fallen out of favor with the king. Their situation seemed hopeless, but they did not waiver in their faith.

Instead they were patient in their affliction, calmly enduring all the punishment and anger the king could dish out. The result was a very concrete example of how God is with the faithful even in times of trouble.

We may not be as fortunate as these three. Yes, they were fortunate, because God showed them quite clearly that He was with them in their troubles. There could be no doubt that no matter what they were going through they were not alone.

As we face the uncertainty and troubles of our current situation, or any situation, we must hold firm to our faith in God. We may not be blessed enough to see a tangible figure standing beside us, but we should know in our hearts that we are not alone. God is with us to give us protection and strength. He can see us through the bleakest of times.

And with that faith we should be given the ability to be patient in our afflictions. In time we will be carried through the fires of our trials and challenges, brought unscathed to the other side. And through it all we are not alone.

DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you remind yourself of God’s presence in desperate times?

Patient in Affliction 3

Luke 12:35-37

No matter how tired I am I can not rest unless I am prepared for what needs to be done. I can not relax on Saturday night unless I am sure that I have all that I will need for Sunday’s service. Weeknights are the same; I can’t rest until I at least have a list of what must get done the next day. Knowing that I have gathered all that I need or have prepared myself and gotten organized to the best of my abilities helps avoid anxiety.

We can avoid fear by being spiritually prepared. In this passage from Luke Jesus is giving an example of how we are to be watchful for the Lord. What are the instructions? To whom is Christ compared in verse 36? What twist is presented in verse 37?

The image of Jesus as the bridegroom is common in the Gospels. It presents a picture of a loving relationship. It also creates a comparison that most of Jesus’ listeners were familiar with. Those attending the groom had to wait patiently for him. They had to be ready so that whenever the groom appeared they could serve him. To be unprepared meant to risk the success of the wedding.

So it is with our faith. We need to establish that relationship with God now. We need to work on perfecting ourselves in Christ now. We are not supposed to wander blindly through life turning to God only when things get desperate. Nor can we abandon our faith when things get tough.

We need to be patient with our faith. One way to be patient, to avoid fear and worry, is to know that our faith is strong. We should be spiritually dressed and ready for service to God. Is your heart in a place where you are prepared to help God’s kingdom even when society seems to be in turmoil?

We need to keep our spiritual lamps burning. We should be a beacon of light and hope to others who do not have the depth of faith we have. Is your spiritual light of hope and love shining in these dark times?

How can we dress our souls for service? How can we keep our own lights burning? We do so by applying ourselves to our faith – by examining the word of God, by searching for understanding in the teachings of Jesus, and by holding firmly to our faith. We also need to be persistent and diligent in our prayer life.

We also dress for service by watching for need in others. We should be observant to the troubles others may be going through and be prepared – physically, emotionally and spiritually – to step in with help and encouragement. We can also be an example of strength and confidence, exhibiting that faith in God which keeps us joyful in hope and patient in affliction. When we do that we shine our lights for others to see.

DAILY CHALLENGE: What can you do now to keep your spiritual lamp burning?

Patient in Affliction 2

Philippians 4:4-7

One of my goals in life recently has been to become more calm and level-headed in all situations. I am trying not to let small things annoy me or excite me. I have always admired those individuals who can go through life seemingly without fear or anxiety, taking whatever life throws at them in stride. It is what we are called to do. It is an example of being patient in affliction.

In this letter to the church at Philippi what is encouraged in verse 4? What is encouraged in verse 5? Why? Instead of anxiety, what is encouraged? What is the result?

The first verse of today’s reading fits with the concept of being joyful in hope. We are to rejoice in the Lord at all times. We are to know that God is Lord of all, and with that confidence we should be able to celebrate all that we are experiencing.

But we are also encouraged to be patient in our afflictions. We are to remain steady in troubled times. Knowing that the Lord is near should give us such a firm faith that we can be gentle in all that we do, not desperate and anxious.

We are not called to sleep-walk through life oblivious to what is going on. We are not expected to be unaffected by the loss of a loved one. But we should be able to overcome the worries and stress of uncertainty, and we should be able to cling to hope in our sorrows.

If we are truly Christians, if we truly believe that Jesus Christ is our Savior and that the Lord is our God, then we should be able to exhibit that faith in how we live our lives. There is no need to be worried about our economy or our government. There is no need to be worried about eternity and our own mortality.

Being a Christian means having a firm faith in the teachings of Christ and the promises of God. With that firm faith should come the confidence that allows us to be patient with what is going on. We can patiently wait for things to get better. We can patiently wait for God to work through new leadership. And we can patiently wait for the eternal reward Christ has assured us.

By patiently trusting that God is in control, no matter how uncertain life can be, we can find the peace of God which will guard our hearts and minds.

DAILY CHALLENGE: What can you do to relieve anxiety?