Patience is a virtue, right?

19/08/2019

Beloved brothers… why was I prompted to choose a reading plan on patience this week? Could it be because my patience would be tested to the ultimate today? What is the Lord trying to tell me and show me? Perhaps tomorrow’s reading will shed some light on that question 🤔 trust you had a good start to this week. May it turn out to be a successful and prosperous week in your relationship with the Lord, colleagues, family and friends. Blessings 🙏

Day 1

Ps 130 v 5
“I wait for the Lord, my soul does wait, and in His word do I hope.”

While I wait
Deep within my heart, I know You’ve won
I know You’ve overcome
And even in the dark, when I’m undone
I still believe it

I live by faith, and not by sight
Sometimes miracles take time

While I wait, I will worship
Lord, I’ll worship Your name
While I wait, I will trust You
Lord, I’ll trust You all the same

When I fall apart, You are my strength
Help me not forget
Seeing every scar, You make me whole
You’re my healer

I live by faith, and not by sight
Sometimes miracles take time
I live by faith, and not by sight
Sometimes miracles take time

While I wait, I will worship
Lord, I’ll worship Your name
While I wait, I will trust You
Lord, I’ll trust You all the same

You’re faithful every day
Your promises remain
You’re faithful every day
Your promises remain

You’re faithful every day
Your promises remain
You’re faithful every day
Your promises remain

Though I don’t understand it
I will worship with my pain
You are God, You are worthy
You are with me all the way

So while I wait, I will worship
Lord, I’ll worship Your name
Though I don’t have all the answers
Still I trust You all the same

Day 2
James 5 v 7-11 and Col 1 v 3-14

Col 1 v 9-12

“……….We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.”

Take a look at the synonyms for endurance, i.e suffering and perseverence and even “patient endurance”.  The scripture that comes to mind is from Rom 5 v 2-5

“……..And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Scripture says it all brothers.  We can but simply believe!  Amen

Day 3
1 Tim 1 v 12-17 and Rom 8 v 18-30

Romans 8 v 18
“For I consider that the SUFFERINGS [patient endurance]of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

What an amazing promise of the coming glory of our Lord, Jesus?! May we wait patiently on Him (through our trials and tribulations) while we do what our hand finds to do.

Blessings in Jesus 🙏

Day 4
1 Thess 5 v 12-18 and Eph 4 v 1-7

1 Thes 5 v 14 & 15
“14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.”

Doesn’t this sound like we should do unto others as we would like to have them do unto us – basically – that we should love our neighbour as ourselves? The patience that is expected might sound like a tall order and for the natural man it probably is, but for us, as children of the Living God, it should be(come) second nature. Just think how much patience the Lord has with us?! Blessings 🙏

Day 5
Psalm 37 v 3-9 and 2 Pet 3 v 8-18

“Rest in the Lord [He is our sabbbath] and wait patiently for Him (Ps 37 v 7) and regard the patience of the Lord as salvation (2 Pet 3 v 15).

Dear brothers at the end of yet another reading plan I sincerely hope you have also gained much understanding and wisdom. I believe we misinterpret “patience” most of the time and the above combination puts things into perspective for me.

Blessings in Jesus 🙏