Attaining Steadfastness and Patience
6/13/2018

"Because of this, since the day we heard about you, we have continued praying for you, asking God that you will know fully what He wants. We pray that you will also have great wisdom and understanding in spiritual things so that you will live the kind of life that honors and pleases the Lord in every way. You will produce fruit in every good work and grow in the knowledge of God. God will strengthen you with His own great power so that you will not give up when troubles come, but you will be patient. And you will joyfully give thanks to the Father who has made you able to have a share in all that He has prepared for His people in the kingdom of light" (Col. 1:9-12 NCV)

 

In the epistles of Paul, we customarily find him telling his readers what he prayed for them on their behalf and this is true in this epistle to the Colossians.  The key in these verses is to understand that Paul speaks of Christians knowing fully what God wants of us so we will live the kind of life that honors and pleases the Lord in every way.  Through this knowledge God will strengthen us with His great power so we will not give up in difficult times but be patient joyfully giving thanks to our Father.

 

Is patience really that important?  Let James in his timely advice and counsel answer this for us: "My brothers and sisters, when you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience. Let your patience show itself perfectly in what you do. Then you will be perfect and complete and will have everything you need" (James 1:2-4; Cf. Rom 5:1-5).  Notice that he does not perceive patience as passive.

 

The online Merriam-Webster dictionary defines patience as the capacity, habit, or fact of being patient. It defines patient as; 1) bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint; 2) manifesting forbearance under provocation or strain. 

 

We will encounter distress and trouble in life as things outside of our control assail us from all sides. Circumstances can go against us, such as the loss of income, the loss of health, the loss of a loved one, or even persecution from others. What is worse, we often are under assault from several troubles at one time, much like the man of God, Job. Like Job, we must have patience (James 5:10-11).  The apostle Paul learned patience through a multitude of challenges: "But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fasting" (2 Corinthians 6:4-5).

 

Patience is not merely a fixed determination to grit our teeth in the face of problems and suffering, it helps us make actual progress.  Our Lord is a good example of this.  "Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem"(Luke 9:51).  All His life the shadow of His crucifixion hung over Him, yet without faltering, swerving, or resisting, He took every step of His path and nothing turned Him aside because He came into the world for that hour. His resolve never broke. He would not be stopped or hindered from carrying out His duty.

 

Have you ever thought that someday you will have no more sorrow or tears? There will be no opportunity in the grave to learn or to show the spirit of patience, forbearance, and longsuffering. If you are to practice these things, it must be now." Yes, each difficulty affords us the opportunity to learn patience. Let's not waste a single one of them.

 

RUN WITH PATIENCE

 

And can it be that I should gain

An int'rest in the Savior's blood?

Died He for me, who caused His pain?

For me, who Him to death pursued?

Amazing love! how can it be

That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

Amazing love! how can it be

That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

 

'Tis mystery all! The Immortal dies!

Who can explore His strange design?

In vain the firstborn seraph tries

To sound the depths of love Divine!

'Tis mercy all! let earth adore,

Let angel minds inquire no more.

'Tis mercy all! let earth adore,

Let angel minds inquire no more.

 

He left His Father's throne above,

So free, so infinite His grace;

Emptied Himself of all but love,

And bled for Adam's helpless race:

'Tis mercy all, immense and free;

For, O my God, it found out me.

'Tis mercy all, immense and free;

For, O my God, it found out me.

 

Long my imprisoned spirit lay

Fast bound in sin and nature's night;

Thine eye diffused a quickening ray,

I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;

My chains fell off, my heart was free,

I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

My chains fell off, my heart was free,

I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

 

 

 

"Daily Devotions by Guy Roberson"

 







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