Patience is not an absence of action;
rather it is "timing"
it waits on the right time to act,
for the right principles
and in the right way.”
― Fulton J. Sheen
TRIAL OF YOUR FAITH : JAMES 1:3-4
Another way that patience can be developed is through the trial of our faith,you can not tell if you have patience until you have been tested and tried.Our faith is precious even more precious than gold.when gold is passed through fire it only comes out better and nothing less than that,so the trial of our faith is essential if we will get better and grow in the faith that we received through christ Jesus.
Trial is very important,James teaches us to “count it all joy,when you fall into divers temptations” we must realise temptation is not from God,the word here is Peirasmos in greek,which means an experiment,attempt,trial,proving.
So God can not prove you with evil,but for good,he may allow it but doesn’t mean its from him.
James said Rejoice when you fall into divers tests,or trials,because the trying of your faith worketh (accomplishes,produces,works out.) patience.Trials is very important in bringing out and developing patience in you.
The word trial is a tentative experimental action in order to ascertain results-that means that the result is already known but to confirm the result then you put up a test.
Nobody gives you a test in school on something you were never taught on,we receive tests on what you have been taught.So when God brings a trial he knows you should and will pass because you have been prepared for it.
Some says God knows you will fail,no he doesn’t,he knew you would pass,because he taught you all you should know before giving you the test,that’s why when satan came he boasted about Job,God wasn’t worried about Job he knew Job would hold on.1corinthians 10:13 explains it better,”there is no test,that has befallen you that is not common to man,but through the test God will make a way,so that you can stand up under it” this tells us that God wants us and he has created it in such a way that no matter what you will pass.
Trials works out the patience in us,it goes further to say, “But,let patience have her perfect work,so that you will be perfect and entire wanting nothing”It said But,because some times people give up in the waiting period and miss it.
When you are faced with a trial of your faith,know the result of patience,which is that you will come out perfect and entire wanting nothing,and let that keep you patient,waiting,like Job said “I will wait until my change comes”,because it will come but you must be resolved in your mind to wait.
There is a time for waiting and that’s the time that patience works in you and makes you,because trial is a process and in the process of been in the fire,you go through pain and hurts but you still hold on to the word of God,patience is working in you,in the pain as you worship and praise God patience is working in you,making you to become perfect and entire wanting nothing.
The word Perfect and entire are king James version words but lets look a bit into those words;
Perfect is Teleios in the greek which means ‘brought to its end,finished’ and ‘full grown,adult,of full age,matured’ and the word Entire – in the greek is Holokleros which means ‘complete in all its parts,in no part wanting or unsound,complete,entire,whole’.
In other words patience is working in you so that you will be full grown,be matured and whole.Complete in all parts,wanting nothing,to be full grown.Someone said you are growing but not developing but when patience has its perfect work in you,you will not only grow,you will develop in all sides and be entire lacking nothing,perfect.
The best way to stay updated and upgraded is to let patience have her perfect work in you,because you will come out wanting nothing,you will not be lagging behind,left behind and feel out dated or obsolete,but you will be complete and lacking nothing.In your health,in your finances,in your career,in your relationships let patience have her work in you,and you will be perfect and wanting nothing.
HOPE IN PATIENCE – ROMANS 5:3-5
We hope for what we desire to have that we don’t already have,our expectations,our desires.
Faith is the substance of the things we hope for, Hebrews 11:1; So faith is the substance ‘the word substance is hypostasis in the greek-which means, ‘a setting or placing under,substructure,foundation’.In other words faith gives our hope structure.Hope in itself has no substance,you can hope till you die,hoping without faith is nothing,but faith gives hope weight.
Faith is the substance of the things we hope for,so if we will see result on what we hope for we must add faith to it.
Now in the process of waiting we must know that patience is vital for faith to work,Paul begins with saying that we are justified(declared free and righteous) by faith and not works which produces peace with God through christ and because of christ we have access to grace through faith and also through faith we hope for Gods glory,its all through faith and through faith we also glory in tribulations.
Justified by faith,access grace in christ by faith,hope by faith and glory in tribulations by faith,knowing that tribulations worketh patience,but it does stop there and patience experience and experience hope,and hope maketh not ashamed(that is hope that is powered by faith) because the love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts by the holy spirit.
Hope maketh not ashamed,because when we hope in faith we will certainly get the result of our hope,patiently wait in hope,and let patience work in you,so Gods intent is that through the trial of your faith you will produce patience and experience and hope that maketh not ashamed.Experience here is dokime in greek meaning tried character,when you are patient in trials you come out with a character that has been proven,which is called experience.
God is not just concerned about giving us our dreams and desires he uses your desires to bring you to a place of pursuit so he can make you a developed person,so that you can be perfect and mature wanting nothing,so while you are in that trial and waiting,God is busy working in you,working in you patience and character or experience,so that you can have hope that maketh not ashamed,that produces result.
Waiting in faith not wavering like father Abraham,who believed Gods promises and waited until he saw the result,he didn’t waver but he held on to his believe in God and he was credited unto him for righteousness,because he believed and waited patiently for the promise to come to pass,he hoped against hope the Bible says,but hope in faith brought the result.
If we hope for what we do not see we eagerly wait for it with patience..Romans 8:25,so patience is essential in the process of waiting for what we hope for but know that when we hope in faith we will not be put to shame.
The hope that brings results can only be produced through patience and comfort of the scriptures,in other words to keep hope alive,we need to keep the word of God before us and hold on to it patiently.
There are things written for our learning before time,so that we can also like the people of the past who held on to the word of God and got results we also can patiently hold on to the word,so we will see the desires of our hearts come to reality. Romans 15:4-5.
Our calling is proven through patience,as ministers of God we will go through persecution and trials but paul admonishes us to hold on patiently.Sometimes we will be tempted so we can react,but paul says patiently wait for what you hope for,don’t respond to people,you don’t have to prove anything,wait on God and he will prove himself strong in your behalf. 2Corinthians 6:4-10;2Corinthians 12:12
THROUGH PATIENCE INHERIT THE PROMISES – HEBREW 6:12
The promises of God over your life can only be inherited through patience,so does Hebrews 6:12 says.God promised Abraham a child,if he had not been patient he would not have received the promise.
The waiting only begins after you have done the word of God.Having done all to
stand,stand.You believe God that he will do it,you have sown all the seed of faith but the waiting actually starts after you have taken the step of faith,after you have done the will of God.The promise is sure and certain but you must patiently wait till you receive,the promise is for those who after doing the will of God still wait patiently.Hebrews 10:36.
There is a race set before us,but to receive the prize we must run with patience,not giving up in the process but running till we get the crown,without patience you can not receive the prize,just having faith and not with patience,you might fall.The cloud of witnesses are watching,the heroes of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11,have passed on the baton and watching to make sure we run to finish and get the prize,but we cannot give up if we must get the prize.Hebrews 12:1
For us to be able to run with patience and win we must put aside every sin and weight that so easily beset us.we must put aside anything thing in our life that will make us miss the mark,no matter what it is we know it,that will get us off track and out of Gods plan and purpose and everything that burdens us and makes us not to move faster.
Patience can be more effective when we put aside the weight and the sin,only the man that runs with patience can get the prize.
Add to your faith,virtue and to virtue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience…?
watch out for the continuation.
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