Patience is a character trait we wish God would simply hand to us. It is much desired rather than needing to go through the process of developing it. It involves endurance through difficult times, trusting God when it isn’t easy, and keeping a good spirit through the frustration of waiting.
Many areas of our lives where God builds character in us require growth brought by experience. The Christian journey is a blessed way of life; however, it is a life of diligence and work too.
Romans 12:12 tells us, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”
Facing tribulation includes hardships, suffering, problems trials and difficulties. It is during those times that the songs and scriptures we’ve memorized are put to the test. Do we believe those lyrics we sing about faith, trust, hope and standing on the promises of God? Do we stand firm on the scriptures that tell us God is with us and is working in us and through us?
There is a good chance when a trial that takes us by surprise, that we want to believe what we claim, yet our heart is fearful. We can find ourselves losing sleep, losing our appetite and losing hope. Instead of focusing on emotional pain and suffering we are going through, let us make every effort to bring excellence to our trials. Let us excel while we wait on the Lord for our deliverance, healings and answers.
Excellence in patience is continuing to live every day for the Lord before the latest trials came to our lives. It is continuing to tell others about the goodness of God, His power to heal and deliver, and His great love for mankind. It is praying with gratitude for our blessings. It is praying for the many needs around us and for the people we love and care for. It is reviving our trust in the God who loves us, back to the place where that trust in our hearts was strong. It is putting actions to our words of faith. When we say we believe God is moving in our situation, it is thanking God for working in ways we cannot see. It is keeping and sharing the joy of the Lord for ourselves and with others. It is displaying a beautiful spirit when our instincts want to run and hide until everything in our lives is good again.
Friends, He loves us and is instilling valuable attributes in our hearts with every situation we encounter, good and bad. Allowing Him to teach us, while doing our best to wait on our trials and tribulations to end, we will come out on the other side having grown in Him. It is when we don’t grow during the trials because of our own carnal reasoning and attitudes, that the future trials will not become any easier. Every area we grow spiritually gives our tomorrows greater wisdom. We are not only doing this for the Lord, but through Him we are rewarded with spiritual successes.
