“I wait patiently for the Lord.” ~Psalm 40:1
Waiting is hard; being patient while we wait is harder! I have not been very patient this past week. I have been waiting for God to answer a prayer that seems to have gotten lost between my heart and His. I’m sure His inbox is always full, but I wanted my request to be met quickly, on my timing. I found myself getting frustrated and a little angry to the point where I started grumbling. I didn’t want to ‘sit’ any longer in the unknown of my problem; I wanted the solution so I could let it go and move on. Think I got an answer? No, I did not.
“Be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.” ~James 5:8
I think we can all agree that waiting is not something we look forward to. James points this out in the opening of his letter to the first-century Jewish Christians. In chapter 1:2-4, James tells us to consider our trials and temptations “pure joy” because the testing, the waiting, produces perseverance. He goes on to say that when we are faced with life’s difficulties, be glad! Be glad because it is possible to benefit from these trials. Turn your trials into lessons, he says, because the Lord, our Master, could return at any time.
This week at Teaching & Worship we round the corner of our study of James. James 5:7-12 begins the conclusion of his letter. It’s his final exhortation to us, his readers, to practice patience and to endure not only the external trials affecting our lives but also the turmoil within ourselves. He instructs us to wait like farmers, be patient like prophets, remain steadfast like Job, and speak truth with our mouths. Why? Because as he tells us, the Lord is standing around every corner of our lives. Are we preparing for His coming in our periods of waiting, or are we succumbing to impatience and a volatile tongue?
“As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered.” ~James 5:11
God wants us to be patient in our suffering and to rely on Him for the strength to endure the trials. He knows waiting isn’t easy, but He tells us to be strong because He holds the gift that awaits us if we stay the course. It’s during the waiting that we must practice yielding to His will. It’s during the waiting that God, the great I AM, gives us time to advance His kingdom. Friends, there is work to be done in the waiting.
Do you have unanswered prayers? I haven’t gotten an answer to mine, yet, but in my waiting, I have chosen to live by faith. I have chosen to use this period of time to show others His promise of providing for our every need (Ps 23:1) and His promise that He will not let us be tested beyond what we can endure (I Cor 13:4-7). I am practicing living with the knowledge that His return is imminent and working to faithfully further His kingdom until then. We are guaranteed His return…when His time is right. Our job in the interim is to steady yourselves and stay strong.
God Bless!
