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February 20, 2004
Patience
Filed under: Hot Topic
The dictionary defines patience as:
The capacity, quality, or fact of being patient.
The word "patient" means:
1. Bearing or enduring pain, difficulty, provocation, or annoyance with calmness.
2. Marked by or exhibiting calm endurance of pain, difficulty, provocation, or annoyance.
3. Tolerant; understanding: an unfailingly patient leader and guide.
4. Persevering; constant: With patient industry.
5. Capable of calmly awaiting an outcome or result; not hasty or impulsive.
6. Capable of bearing or enduring pain, difficulty, provocation, or annoyance.
In the Old Testament God displayed patience by being "slow to anger."
Exodus 34:6
"And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness..."
Numbers 14:18
"The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation."
Psalm 86:15, Psalm 103:8, Psalm 145:8
"But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness."
Jonah 4:2
"He prayed to the LORD, 'O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity...'"
Notice how every verse mentioned above all say nearly the same thing - and are quoting almost verbatim. (As a side note, I do find it interesting that the phrase is "slow to anger." That almost implies that the anger is inevitable does it not?)
The Bible talks a lot about being patient...
Proverbs 19:11
"A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense."
Proverbs 25:15
"Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone."
Ecclesiastes 7:8
"The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride."
Galatians 5:22
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness..."
Galatians 6:9
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
2 Timothy 4:2
"Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction."
Even "men" talk about patience...
"If I have ever made any valuable discoveries, it has been owing more to patient attention, than to any other talent." - Isaac Newton (1642 - 1727)
"Patience is the companion of wisdom." - Saint Augustine (354 AD - 430 AD)
Conclusions
I think patience is an indicator or reflection that something significant justifies the wait. Whether it be the report from the doctor after the X-rays or the 5 months before the big vacation cruise, patience is the virtue that gives meaning to what is next. Without patience, life's important moments and learning times can become everyday. How many of us tend to remember the every day? How often do we recall the extra ordinary moments in life that were often precluded with a wait.
God's example of being "slow to anger" in the Old Testament is a great example of being patient for what is to come. God's patience was a measuring stick for the promise land. And how sweet that was for God and the Israelites.
I want patience because I want what is next. Not what is now.
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