“BE PATIENT!”

James 5:7-10                                            (ESV)

“7 “BE PATIENT”, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the LORD. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.

8 You also, “BE PATIENT”. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the LORD is at hand.

9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.

10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the LORD.”

“This world” is becoming alarmingly fast-paced.  Keeping up with the Jones’s used to be how everyone lived, but now most are not satisfied unless they are AHEAD of the Jones’s, AND EVERYONE ELSE!!!  It has become so competitive to have the latest, greatest devices hooking to the internet on the swiftest connections, to get the desired information so we can get off work early enough to do whatever it is that WE WANT to do.  

As humans, we have a insatiable desire to see results, and usually QUICK RESULTS!  We even want ALMIGHTY GOD to exact revenge for people who have “hurt” us quickly so can move on to the next crisis in our lives.  We want our medicine to respond quickly.  We want our plane to arrive early.  We want EVERYTHING to go OUR WAY!

We must remember that WE are not GOD, and we are NOT capable of making decisions for ourselves, much less for others!  There are currently over 7.5 Billion people in “this world” and GOD numbers the hair of every head (Luke 12:7)!  Whether we can even count to 7.5 Billion in a lifetime is debatable.  Since GOD IS IN CONTROL, why do we not accept HIS timetable for the happenings of our lives?  If HE can SPEAK these worlds into existence from nothing, HE can certainly handle the brief existence I have on earth.  HE needs to be praised and celebrated just for allowing me to exist!

When we come to the realization that we are NOT the creator, rather the Created, it might be easier to “BE PATIENT” and WAIT ON HIM!  GOD almost NEVER has worked on mans timeline, and I don’t think HE is going to change HIS ways to appease me, nor you!  The verses instructing us to WAIT ON THE LORD, and TRUST IN THE LORD, and to BE STILL before THE LORD are too numerous to count!  If we can just “BE PATIENT” before THE LORD, we can SEE HIM do majestic things that only HE can do!  

Rev. Phillip Brooks, a New England pastor in the late 1800’s, was quoted as saying “The trouble is, I’m in a hurry, but God isn’t.”   Rev. Brooks had to learn to “BE PATIENT”!  As difficult as it is, I might be learning that lesson myself!  “BE PATIENT”!!!