Patience is one of those rare virtue to grow in. Why? Because you don’t grow in it by reading books and magazines or listening to wonderful sermons on the topic. You grow in patience when your faith is put to the test. James says, ‘’‘My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience’’ (James 1:2-3 NKJV).
Below are three important reasons to develop patience
Patience Helps You Understand God’s Ways
You want to confront the challenges that come your way, not run away from them. In the process, God helps you develop patience. Patience is, indeed, the act of expecting and waiting for God to reveal His will. So you wait for God’s way out of the challenge, come what may. This is easier said than done. The problems we confront in life cause us all sorts of pain and sufferings. But in the process of waiting, we learn God’s way out of them all.
So you develop an attitude of complete reliance and dependence on Him. And you prioritize God’s way of doing things above any other. God always has a reason for allowing you to go through certain things. If all you want is relief, you can’t learn from Him.
‘‘For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ’’ (Romans 15:4-5, NKJV).
Patience Helps You Maintain A Balanced Life Of Faith
The challenges of life sometimes overwhelm us. And we may get stuck, not knowing what to do. Those are times many compromise their faith in God, borrowing compromising escape routes. Impatience causes some to run from one prophet to another in search of a miracles. A man or woman of patience knows there’s a proper time and procedure for every matter. Until the Holy Spirit urges you to act, you don’t. James says, ‘…take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience’’ (James 5:10, NKJV). They waited upon God’s instructions and acted accordingly. That’s why their lifestyles are examples for us to emulate today (Romans 15:4, 15:5, Revelation 2:3).
Patience Helps You Enjoy God’s Promises
God promised the best to those who do His will. But we can only get the things He promised through patience. The writer of Hebrews says, ‘‘And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises’’ (Hebrews 6:11-12, NKJV). The patient believer goes through the troubles of life knowing the best is yet to come. Without patience, you give up. Patience enables you to navigate from the challenge to the blessing (Revelation 14:12, 13:10).
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