Patience

"Patience" means to wait for, to look for, to hope, to expect. In Greek, 'patience' means 'hypomeno'. It also means to remain, to abide, to persevere, to endure, to bear bravely and calmly. As a virtue, patience is waiting in the midst of discomfort, without complaining. The world today, and particularly in the era of technology, we're operating in a supersonic speed. Everything has changed, and everything has become instantaneous, from our money transfer, heating food and so on. We are in the world, but not of the world. As children of God, we should be patient. Patience is a virtue we should keep reminding ourselves of. The stressful situations we're in were predicted by Peter, in 2 Peter 3, so they shouldn't be rattled or shaken. The Holy Spirit wants us to be patient, as it is also a fruit (Gal. 5:22).

Don't try to race with time, chasing after things that the world are chasing after, the way they're chasing after them. Just as in long-distant running, training is vital, as well as patience, for preparation and building of endurance. When you see a long-distant runner rejoicing and receiving a reward, you may envy them and wish to share what they had, but if you knew what they went through before they got there, you'd not envy them that much. In the same way, a mother endures much, in carrying, bearing and raising a child. It takes a lot of patience before the child is fully grown as a man/woman. In the same way, a student endures much, going through education for 8 years in primary school, then 4 years in secondary school, then 4 years in the university, before they can get a degree. As much as students may want the degree to come faster, it's not possible, they just have to be patient. In all these instances, patience is required.


Baking a cake, a carpenter coming up with a finished furniture, building a company, a potter making statues and other items using clay, all require patience. Even getting a good wife requires patience, as even the Bible says that he who finds a wife finds a good thing (Prov. 18:22). In times that even believers want to fit in the worldly speed, we have to be patient. It may look awkward to be patient and wait on God, but we have to remember we're in the world but not of the world, and that our Lord will surely come in the fullness of time. Let the world rush, but as for us we need to be patient, and let God's purpose prevail. God never fails, nor does He sleep or slumber. Wait upon the Lord. In this world, besides, we're just but temporary residents.

Psalm 39:12b (AMP)
For I am Your passing guest, a temporary resident, as all my fathers were.
There's no rush for us believers, as we don't operate in the timing of men, but of God, being passing guests here on earth.

1 Samuel 13:8-14

Then he waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. 9 So Saul said, “Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.” And he offered the burnt offering. 10 Now it happened, as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering, that Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him. 11 And Samuel said, “What have you done?”

Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, 12 then I said, ‘The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord.’ Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering.”

13 And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”

The reason we have so many people who're not established in life is because they've refused to be patient with the Lord. There are people who're losing their position, walking out of God's purpose and will, all because they fail to patient with God. A number of people fail to reach their optimum potentials because they start a journey, but are not patient enough to reach the end.

Saul was told to wait on God, but instead looked for a quick fix out of his situation. He became impatient because people started neglecting him. Because of this reason, he lost his establishment as a king, and his kingdom. Impatience will cause us to lose and miss out on God's purpose for us, His establishment for us. For us to fulfill the purpose of God in our lives, we have to walk with God, patiently. When He ways we stop, we should stop; when He ways we move, we should move, again at His pace. Saul used his thinking, seeing men ran away from him, and grew impatient. Have you been found waiting on God, and your friends start neglecting you, running away from you, and you're tempted to compromise, just to keep them and fit in their circle? Don't, as they will lead you away from God's purpose. Let them leave, and God will bring to you new friends, in His time. Even Jesus let the multitude leave, a good number of His disciples, and turned to ask the 12 if they also wanted to leave (John 6:60-69). He knew that God's purpose would still prevail. Even when you see people leave your life, because you're not compromising your faith, don't do careless things, like Saul did, wanting to fit in and save time and keep the people around and near him. When that girl/boy wants to leave you because you won't compromise, or your friends want to leave you because you're not compromising like them to get married quick or get rich quick, wait on God.

1 Samuel 13:12
...then I said, ‘The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord.’ Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering.”

Saul's thinking misled him. Don't go with what you're thinking; go with what the Spirit of God is telling you. When you decide to invest more money in your business, get married and so on, let it not be because "you thought" to do so, but because the Spirit of God told you. Saul was fearing to lose his men, at the beginning he had 3,000 men but at the end had 600 men. If he would have waited, maybe he would have had more men, retained the kingdom and so on. You may have made a mistake in the past, rushing and doing careless mistakes; now wait on God, and move at His pace. As the Englishman said, "Wise men learn from other people's mistakes; fools repeat other people's mistakes; idiots repeat their own mistakes." Experience is not the best teacher; the Holy Spirit is. If Joshua and the Israelites were not patient in going round the walls of Jericho 7 times, and went round it 6 times, the walls of Jericho won't have fallen.

Psalm 40:1-3I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me, and heard my cry. 2 He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. 3 He has put a new song in my mouth—Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear; And will trust in the Lord.

Because the Psalmist waited:

• God answered him. When we wait on God, we'll surely receive that which we were praying for, receiving by faith and patience. Don't panic; when you wait patiently upon the Father, the answer will manifest. If you've noticed, the answer manifests when you're at rest and peace. Nothing happens, from God, when you're agitated, worried, anxious and so on. God knows we're in need of what we're praying for, and will get it to us in His own time. The psalmist waited, God heard and answered him.
• God got him out of the horrible pit, and placed him on the rock. Waiting on God will ensure you're not shaken, always being standing on Christ and His purpose, as He is the Rock. If you're already on a shaky place, a horrible place, in your life, He will remove you and place you on a rock, stable foundation.
• God established the goings of David. When you wait on God, God will establish your steps, and in your purpose. As we walk with God, we may pray for the sick, and the healing doesn't manifest, or for their jobs and they lose them and so on, but this doesn't mean we stop praying. As we do this, God establishes us, and with time we see the miracles manifest, as we get to learn the ways of God.
• God gave him new songs. As we wait on God, He puts new songs in our hearts and mouths, every moment. You cannot worship if you're anxious and worried, always trusting in yourself. You'll worship and praise God, if you wait on Him.
• God made him a testimony. People will admire you and what you have, testifying of what God has done for you, 

Hebrews 6:15

And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 

Abraham waited for 25 years, before he got a son. David was anointed king at 25 years, and became a king at 30 years. It took Joseph 17 years to become a governor (Gen. 41-46). All this was patience. Joseph waited patiently, and never wavered in faith through unbelief, worry or complaining and murmuring.

Here are some more Scriptures on patience...

James 5:7-8
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. 8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

Psalm 37:7-9
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret—it only causes harm. 9 For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.

Galatians 6:9
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Romans 12:12
...rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;

1 Corinthians 13:4
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Habakkuk 2:3
For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

Isaiah 40:31
But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

Colossians 3:12
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;

Revelations 2:3,19
"...and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary."

19 "I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first."

Luke 8:15 
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.

Ephesians 4:1-2
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,

Proverbs 25:15
By long forbearance a ruler is persuaded, and a gentle tongue breaks a bone.

Galatians 5:22 
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Remain patient. Weeping may have endured for a moment; joy comes in the morning. If you're patient, you'll celebrate the victory of Jesus. Purpose just to trust and wait on God.

Blessings.


-- Pastory Mary Mugo.


(Sunday Service Sermon, Teaching Transformation Ministry.)

Mary is a pastor, at Teaching Transformation Ministry. We are located along the Thika-Ruai Flyover Junction (at the Thika Rd./ Bypass intersection), Next to Eastgate Restaurant.