I’ve never thought of myself as a patient person. I’m a restless soul. It seems that just as the next season is about to show up, I’ve been ready for a few weeks. Whenever the scenery changes, whether a new state, a new coffee shop, or a new park to visit, my soul gets a little excited. No sooner have I started one project than I want to start a completely new project. While I may love my current job, I’m always thinking about the next one I could have. I want to change the screen saver on my phone, the outfit I put on this morning, or the decorations in my house. I love change . . . most of the time.
Maybe you can relate. Like me, perhaps you are a restless soul rather than a patient person. It’s one thing to be patient when you’re waiting in line at the coffee shop or waiting for the leaves to change colors. It’s quite another kind of patience when you’re waiting for a trial to end. And that is the kind of patience that the book of James addresses. When you think of patience, you may picture someone with clenched teeth, clenched fists, hunkering down until the problem is past. However, the biblical picture of patience is not passive. It’s much more active. James 1:2-4 says, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience haver her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” Why does God expect us to “count it all joy” when we face trials? We can count it joy because no experience is ever pointless or wasted with God. Through the trial, God is taking us somewhere! He is developing a character trait in us that will help us through much more down the road. That character trait He is developing in us is patience.
Now, before you roll your eyes, thinking about “grinning and bearing it,” let’s consider the biblical picture of patience. The word patience here means “constancy, endurance.” According to Strong’s concordance, this is “the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose.” A better picture of biblical patience would be a marathon runner. He keeps a steady pace, and endures the race, knowing that the finish line will come eventually. He is unswerving in his purpose to cross that finish line. His patience pays off because, in the end, he is a stronger, although tired, runner. The same is true for those of us who exhibit patience (constancy, endurance) in the Christian race. James says that patience will make us perfect. James 1:4 says that if we let patience have her perfect work, patience will make us perfect or complete. We will not be lacking in character once patience is through with us! James begins with a call to patience—to consistency and endurance—because God has a purpose for every trial we face.
Just as James begins with patience, the book also ends with patience. James 5:7-8 says, “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waitieth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” In verses 7-8, the phrase “be patient” means “to be of a long spirit, not to lose heart.” We see the idea of consistency again. We should be in the race for the duration, pacing ourselves and enduring every step of the way. How can we be of long spirit, not losing heart in this arduous Christian race? Well, like the marathon runner or the farmer waiting for his crops to grow, we have something worth waiting for and it is coming soon. Our Lord Jesus Christ will return, and it could be any day now. We are to be patient by “stablishing” or “placing firmly” our hearts in the hope of Christ’s return.
We have great Bible examples of believers who were patient through afflictions. Job is one of those examples. He did not enjoy his fiery trial, but he was patient (constant, enduring) because he was firm in his purpose. In Job’s words, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain my own ways before him. He also shall be my salvation.” (Job 13:15-16) Job didn’t necessarily know how his story would end, but he did know his purpose and he resolved to “maintain” his way, to be consistent in his relationship with God. Job didn’t understand why he had to face this trial, but he did know where his hope came from: God was his salvation. Job’s story not only demonstrates that patience is possible even through the worst trials, but also that the Lord is merciful and compassionate even in those trials.
So, how can we be patient when we are facing a personal trial? How can we be patient when the world seems to be falling apart? How can we be patient when we feel helpless to do anything about the problems in our country and countries abroad? Patience is not a feeling we conjure but an action we take. Patience is a choice to put our hope in Christ, not our current circumstances. Patience is doing the next right thing and doing so consistently, not just when we feel like it. It means studying our Bible every day, praying without ceasing, and fulfilling our responsibilities on a consistent basis. Patience looks like endurance. It’s taking life one step at a time, but not missing a step. Patience is like running a marathon. We pace ourselves but keep going because we know what is waiting for us at the finish line. God is taking us somewhere. The end result is worth it! Remember, patience makes perfect.