Have A Little Patience

“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 have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”  James 1:2-4

One of the things that is sadly lacking in our world today is patience.  We get frustrated if we have to wait any time at all for just about anything.  We live at a fast pace mostly because of all the modern conveniences with which we have been blessed.  Imagine what it was like to live in Bible times where the common people walked everywhere they went.  Later on came the horse and buggy days, but it still took a long time to go just a few miles.  Now we have the interstate highways where there are no traffic lights to slow us down, and the speed limits are set relatively high, but folks still drive even faster.  Everyone is in such a hurry.

Many Bible scholars believe that the writer of the book of James was the half-brother of Jesus.  In Matthew 13:55, there are four half-brothers of Jesus listed:  James, Joses, Simon, and Judas.  Other scholars believe that the writer is James, son of Alphaeus, and first cousin of Jesus.  We know that the Apostle John’s brother James was not the writer because he was martyred by the grandson of Herod the Great.  The exact timing of this epistle is not known, but was during the time when the Jews, particularly the believers in Christ, had to flee Jerusalem and Israel due to persecution.  Whichever James wrote this epistle, he called himself a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The twelve tribes to which James addressed his letter were those believers who had scattered across other parts of the globe due to persecution from the Romans and from fellow Jews who had rejected the gospel.  James wanted to comfort them in their journey and assure them that God had not forgotten them.  No matter how tough times get, God is always watching, caring, and working behind the scenes of all those who place their trust in Him.

James began the body of his letter by stating what we might call an “oxymoron”, a statement that sounds contradictory but is actually true.  Context is very important in reading the written word.  Statements can’t always be pulled out from the text and taken on face value.  Background is essential in understanding what is being relayed.  Why would someone want to rejoice when faced with some sort of temptation?  We might think that it would be better and easier for believers to not have to face temptations or trials of their faith.  But how would believers grow stronger in their faith if it’s never tested?  How could a believer be encouraged in his or her faith if they rarely need to use it?  In physical exercise, there must be a resistance that we work against in order to strengthen our muscles, like weights or our own body weight.  Temptations and trials are the resistance against which our faith works that not only increases our faith, but increases other fruits of the spirit, particularly patience, the ability to endure a time of waiting with calmness and self-control.

James wrote that patience has a perfect work.  The person who endures and displays patience in whatever trial through which he or she is suffering reaps the benefit of his or her patience in knowing that God is working to bring the outcome that God desires.  King David wrote in Psalm 40:1-3 that he waited patiently for the LORD to do His work, and the LORD reciprocated in not only hearing David’s cry, but brought him to a new level in his relationship with the LORD.  I believe that God’s desire is to bring all believers to a higher level in our relationship with Him, but we must come to the place where we are ready to rise up to a closer walk with Him, and this may require a good deal of patience on our part.  A heavily exercised faith results in an increasing measure of patience and of contentment.

In my opinion and based on the words of scripture, I believe that Christians are about to enter a new phase soon which will require a tremendous amount of faith, patience, and endurance to cope with the increase in persecution that certainly seems to be coming in the next few years in our own nation.  I read on line today where there are some politicians who are pushing the new incoming administration to do away with the gains that believers have made toward religious liberty in the last few years.  The first amendment of our U. S. Constitution says that our government can “make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof”.  It seems like there are those who are attempting to establish a religion of government (socialism) and trying to do away with our right to worship as we see fit.  Even if some day they succeed in doing away with the Constitution and closing down the churches, they cannot stop believers from worshipping and trusting in the Lord.  He is our salvation and our “strength in the time of trouble” (Psalm 37:39).