A Week of Growing in Patience

“Now the parable is this: The seed is the Word of God. Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.” Luke 8:11-15

Now I know that this verse is talking about salvation but I think that it can be applicable to the lives of the believer also. As a follower of Christ my heart should reflect the last example. My heart should be ready to accept anything that the Lord is showing me. And because my heart has been prepared for God’s Word, I will take it and apply it to my life so I may bear good fruits.

But I don’t always fall into that category. Many times after morning devotion, I will go out and the cares of the world will choke out the truths that the Lord showed me that morning. This can happen through me just getting distracted during the middle of worship and then the enemy condemns me. Or if somebody who I trusted turns out to be untrustworthy and I don’t love others like the Lord has told me. This is probably one of my greatest struggles.

Another way the Word will not penetrate my heart is by I just don’t meditate on it. I think it is really cool in the morning but for the rest of the day I just put it aside to continue on in the “real” world. I again do not apply it to my life.

The last way that my heart will not be suitable for God’s word is I simply do not listen. I don’t like what the Lord is saying or it might be too painful so I just let it fall by the wayside. This is one of the most dangerous places for me to be.  To know what is good and to not do it, for him it is sin. The Holy Spirit convicts and I quench him. My will become hard when I do this.

“By your patience possess your souls.” Luke 21:19

This verse for me is a difficult one. The funny thing about this verse is that it took patience to learn about a verse talking about patience. And the thing about this verse is that the word possess is the word that stood out. I normally do not think of positive things when the word possess is mentioned. I normally think of a demon possessed person. That is just where my thoughts head.

But to possess is to have control over. When someone is demon possessed they are being controlled by a demon. And when I own something that is fully mine it is my possession. So what does this have to do with patience? Well let patience possess your souls.

I think that James said it quite well in James 1:4, “But let patience have its perfect work that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” Both of these verses in context are talking about trials that we are going to face. And how we will overcome them is with patience. When we let patience take control and to a work in our lives we will overcome. Because we know where our hope is from and we know that we were not left as orphans but God is with us. So when difficulties come I don’t have to be anxious, I don’t have to worry, I can be patient knowing that God said this would happen and that he would be going through this with me.

Like Warren Weirsbie said God calls, he enables and he walks through it with you. But do I knowing this let patience possess my soul? Normally I don’t because I am too worried that God will leave me. I need to let God give me patience to go through whatever life throws at me.

“Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy.” Colossians 1:11

Patience and longsuffering with an attitude of joy is something we need. It’s not true patience and longsuffering if in you’re mind you are complaining, and letting a root of bitterness spring up in your heart. Even if on the outward you look patient because you are saying the right things about how the Lord is teaching your patience. God looks at the inward and he knows that true patience and longsuffering need to be accompanied by a heart of joy.

But the issue is where do we get that joy? Do we just think happy thoughts? Or is it something that we have to strive for? Well the verse says that we need to be strengthened with all might according to HIS glorious power.  He is the one with the power that we draw from so that way we may be strengthened. It is not of ourselves lest any man should boast.

I normally am not joyful while God is teaching me patience and long suffering. In fact if I was honest I would say that I hate being taught patience. Mainly because I have very little of it and I normally am the one trying to strive for it. I do not lean on him and ask for true patience. I may “pray” for it but it is normally mumbled under my breath in this format, “God PLEASE give me patience.” And it is normally referring to someone in front of me that is just plain annoying. I truly need to be praying for true patience not just in the moment of pure frustration.

“I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on this island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 1:9

It’s funny how whenever patience is mentioned it is accompanied by the words, trial or tribulations. Even in the context of this verse there are a ton or trials and tribulations that have gotten John to Patmos. You see, John would not stop sharing the love of Jesus so they decided to kill him. They put him in boiling oil and he did not die. They tried to silence him by sending him to an island that prisoners were kept. But while here John wrote the final book of the Bible Revelation.

John the Apostle had gone through a lot of persecution and had watched as one by one all of the apostles were killed. But yet he had patience and endurance to keep on going. Why? Well the verse says it, “your brother and companion in tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ,”

John knew the end result was the kingdom with Jesus. When you take the sufferings of this world and compare them to what awaits us in heaven. Why would we not endure? He is our prize! That is why we run the race with endurance!

Even when things come to distract us from heaven like the death of a loved one or people coming against us or just plain loneliness. If we keep our eyes on the goal, we will overcome. Because heaven reminds us that we have overcome by the blood of the lamb and the words of our testimony.

We are going to see Jesus, so run!

“that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” Hebrews 6:12

It is the natural thing for a runner to slow down after running for a long time. The person’s muscles become tired and it might begin to seem like your lungs will explode at any moment. It is natural.

On our own strength and ability we will get tired. We will become sluggish. Every time we see a great man or woman fall in the Bible it was because they were operating in their own strength. And with all due honesty, human strength is feeble and it will give out. It is natural.

But we are not called to walk in the natural man, we are called to walk in the Spirit. When we are completely reliant on the Power of the Holy Spirit, we will not grow sluggish because we are uses His power which will not run out.

But the problems that I often try to do things in my own strength because I want to prove myself. And every time I do this I get tired and I normally will end up giving up. But I am kind of tired of giving up, so I truly need to draw strength from the Lord so I can break this vicious cycle that seems to work its way into every aspect of my life.

Like this verse says I need to imitate those who have gone before me who draw strength from the Lord and endured. And I can find those people in the Bible (ex: The Hall of Faith) or even in books about heroes of the faith. Why would I not follow their example if they have found the key to running the race with endurance?