On Being Patient

Published in God's Message (Pasugo) magazine, March 2007

“Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”
-James 5:7-8, New King James Version

The Scriptures prove that man must first belong to God’s chosen people so that his calls on Him will not be rejected.

“So it is best for us to wait in patience – to wait for him to save us - …When we suffer, we should sit alone in silent patience; We should bow in submission, for there may still be hope … The Lord is merciful and will not reject us forever.”
-Lamentations 3:26, 28-29, 31, Today’s English Version

PATIENCE SEEMS TO BE a diminishing virtue, especially in today’s fast-paced life. Now that “instant” is a common word in many people’s vocabulary – instant coffee, instant messages, and instant wealth – and almost everything – food, plane tickets, hotel bookings, and access to many sorts of information – is just a click away, many tend to expect instantaneous solutions to problems and immediate answers to their concerns. Without such solution, they would lose their patience and feel as though all hope were lost.

The dizzying pace of life nowadays, however, is not the only contributory factor to man’s impatience and frustrations. So, too, are the situations in man’s life that veer out of his control and overwhelm him such as the intense difficulties of daily living, the threats of disasters and dangers, and many other hardships that contribute to his predicament. Yet amid all these, the servants of God should not lose hope, for they have Him to trust in:

“Who is the man who desires life, And loves many days, that he may see good?

“Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” (Ps. 34:12, 8, New King James Version)

Indeed, with God, we will overcome life’s anxieties and all the things that may cause frustrations. So, why do others become impatient in drawing near to God?

Impatient in approaching God
We almost automatically approach God in times of need. Yet, when some of our calls to Him seem not answered, some of us become impatient in approaching Him. The Bible describes such condition, thus:

“I call to you, O God, but you never answer; and when I pray, you pay no attention. … You let the wind blow me away; you toss me about in a raging storm. … I hoped for happiness and light, but trouble and darkness came instead. I am torn apart by worry and pain; I have had day after day of suffering.” (Job 30:20, 22, 26-27, Today’s English Version)

As illustrated in the preceding verses, there are those who, when their prayers to God are not answered, feel deep anguish and disappointment. This leads some to lose their trust and hope in God:

“I have forgotten what health and peace and happiness are. I do not have much longer to live; my hope in the LORD is gone. The thought of my pain, my homelessness, is bitter poison.” (Lam. 3:17-19, Ibid.)

Indeed, there are people who tend to blame and begrudge others for their life’s unwanted plight. They become impatient and lose hope, especially when they find that their calls for immediate help fall on deaf ears. But is it right to hold a grudge or grievance against our Almighty God when prayers to Him are unanswered? In the first place, who has the privilege to approach and pray to God and to our Lord Jesus Christ?

The privilege of God’s people
We must understand that being heard by God is a privilege that He gave to His people! This privilege is not something we earn for ourselves because of the works we do. It is based on God’s calling or election:

“… They will call on My name, And I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people’; And each one will say, ‘The LORD is my God’.” (Zeck. 13:9, NKJV)

The Scriptures prove that it is not enough that man approaches God and prays. Man must first belong to God’s chosen people so that his calls on Him will not be rejected. In the Christian Era, the people proven by Christ as the chosen ones have been given the right and privilege to worship and pray to Him And our Lord God. The Lord Jesus Christ confirms:
“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” (John 15:16, Ibid.)

How did our Lord Jesus Christ introduce His chosen ones? He likened them to branches joined to the vine:

“I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I stay joined to you, then you will produce lots of fruit. But you cannot do anything without me.” (John 15:5, Contemporary English Version)

The vine Christ was referring to is Himself. Parallel to the relationship of the vine to the branches is the relationship of the head to the body – the head being referred to is our Lord Jesus Christ and the body is His Church:

“And He is the head of the body, the church …” (Col. 1:18, NKJV)

The Church being referred to here whose members Christ has redeemed with His blood is the Church of Christ:


“Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood.” (Acts 20:28, Lamsa Translation)

Therefore, Apostle Paul testifies that the branches that are joined to the vine who is Christ are the members of the Church of Christ. They have received a very great blessing. Through their calling and election, they have been given the privilege to approach and pray to God. They just need to be patient when praying for their needs. Nonetheless, there are those who belong to God’s nation who also are holding a grievance against Him and have become impatient for not getting concrete answers to their prayers.

Abiding trust in Him
Those who belong to God’s nation yet are complaining or holding a grievance against Him instead of trusting in Him have something to realize. God said:

“Israel, why then do you complain that the LORD doesn’t know your troubles or care if you suffer injustice? Don’t you know? Haven’t you heard? The LORD is the everlasting God; he created all the world. He never grows tired or weary. No one understands his thoughts. He strengthens those who are weak and tired. Even those who are young grow weak; young men can fall exhausted. But those who trust in the LORD for help will find their strength renewed. They will rise on wings like eagles; they will run and not get weary; they will walk and not grow weak.” (Isa. 40:27-31, TEV)

God wants them to know that He is all-powerful and nothing is impossible with Him. He can give whatever His chosen ones need and He will do so in His time just as long as they completely put their trust and hope in Him.

What else are the mighty things God can do for those who trust in Him? The Bible made clear the extent of God’s power and the things He can do for His righteous servants:

“The LORD kills and restores to life; he sends people to the world of the dead and brings them back again. He makes some men poor and others rich; he humbles some and makes other great. He lifts the poor from the dust and raises the needy from their misery. He makes them companions of princes and puts them in places of honor. The foundations of the earth belong to the LORD; on them he has built the world. He protects the lives of his faithful people, but the wicked disappear in darkness; a man does not triumph by his own strength.” (I Sam. 2:6-9, Ibid.)

Indeed, there is no reason for God’s people to complain and become impatient when situations around them look overwhelming and require immediate solutions.

The value of obedience
and renewing one’s life
Another condition set by God so that the prayers of His servants will be heard is to honor and love Him:

“The LORD is righteous in all he does, merciful in all his acts. He is near to those who call to him, who call to him with sincerity. He supplies the needs of those who honor him; he hears their cries and saves them. He protects everyone who loves him, but he will destroy the wicked.” (Ps. 145, 17-20, Ibid.)

To honor and love God is to turn away from wickedness or renew one’s life – to obey all His commandments. Doing so will ensure God’s favorable response to the calls of His righteous servants. Even during the time of ancient Israel obeying God’s commandments was a must for them to remain His people. God’s statement concerning the importance of obedience is unequivocally stated:

“But I did command them to obey me, so that I would be their God and they would be my people. And I told them to live the way I had commanded them, so that things would go well for them.” (Jer. 7:23, Ibid.)

Refusal to comply with God’s commandments is the reason things turn for the worse in man’s life. What happened to Israel when they refused to listen to God’s commandment draws our attention to an important lesson. The prophet Jeremiah attests that they were cursed by God and ended up in a wretched condition when they became stubborn and refused to obey His commands:

“But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward. From the time your forefathers left Egypt until now, day after day, again and again I sent you my servants the prophets. But they did not listen to me or pay attention. They were stiff-necked and did more evil than their forefathers. …Therefore say to them, ‘This is the nation that has not obeyed the LORD its God or responded to correction. Truth has perished; it has vanished from their lips’.” (Jer. 7:24-26, 28, New International Version)

Thus, what God’s people should make sure of is that they abide by the conditions He set in order for their prayers to be heard. They should never ever bear a grudge against God, complain or become impatient and lose hope if their prayers are not immediately answered.

Patience and prayer
Instead of complaining and losing one’s hope in God, His servants should wait in patience for His mercy:

“So it is best for us to wait in patience – to wait for him to save us - … When we suffer, we should sit alone in silent patience; We should bow in submission, for there may still be hope … The Lord is merciful and will not reject us forever.” (Lam. 3:26, 28-29, 31, TEV)

Undoubtedly, the Lord God is very eager and willing to help solve all the worries and provide all the needs of His nation to whom He has given the right to draw near and pray to Him and to the Lord Jesus Christ. The prophet Isaiah elucidates:

“And yet the LORD is waiting to be merciful to you. He is ready to take pity on you because he always does what is right. Happy are those who put their trust in the LORD. You people who live in Jerusalem will not weep any more. The LORD is compassionate, and when you cry to him for help, he will answer you. The LORD will make you go through hard times, but he himself will be there to teach you, and you will not have to search for him any more. If you wander off the road to the right or the left, you will hear his voice behind you saying, ‘Here is the road. Follow it’.” (Isa. 30:18-21, Ibid.)

Hence, God’s chosen ones await their salvation that is certain to come with confident hope. Amid all the haste and hardship in the world, they remain unperturbed knowing fully well that God is on their side. They continue to have faith in the power and efficacy of prayer. The words of the Psalmist about patience in praying to the Lord God inspire them:

“I waited patiently for the LORD’s help; then he listened to me and heard my cry.” (Ps. 40:1, Ibid.)