Cultivate Patience

Patience often feels like an outdated, unnecessary, and unproductive quality in our modern, fast paced world. We want, and expect things to happen quickly and conveniently on our timetable. We flick a switch and we expect the lights to come on or the device to power up. We are frustrated by delays and slow responses, as we value efficiency and productivity. If we want something, it can be delivered to our front door in a matter of hours. Communication can happen instantaneously across the globe through texts and chats. Now to be sure, there is often nothing wrong or inherently sinful with modern conveniences and technologies that have drastically reduced our requirement to wait and exhibit patience in our daily lives. However, it does create an environment that can foster a sense of entitlement, self-sufficiency, and desire for instant gratification.  So how do we cultivate patience in a culture that doesn’t have the time for it? It begins with establishing the object of our focus as Psalm 46 encourages us to “Be still and know that I am God”. Because biblical patience is not simply the ability to wait or tolerate inconvenience, it is a characteristic born out of a deep-seated hope that our God is on His throne and that He will ultimately make everything right as His justice prevails.

 So, my exhortation to us this morning church, is throughout this Advent season, protect time to regularly stop, be still, and behold our God.  Allow those times to draw you to His word, adore Him in prayer, and produce the spiritual fruit of patience in your life.  The type of patience that is steadfast through trials and suffering and counts it all joy as we are instructed in James.  The type of patience that bears with one another, forgiving one another in times of conflict because of the recognition of God’s patience and mercy toward us as described in Colossians. Patience that sets aside our own expectations and desires and endures the inconveniences and frustrations of this life, knowing that we have a better and enduring hope in heaven. This Christmas season, instead of focusing on the hustle and bustle, the to do lists, and all the modern trappings and expectations that push us toward stress and impatience, lets fix our eyes on Christ, celebrate the good news of His birth, and wait with patient expectancy for His return.