Got Patience?

One of the themes of this week's Epistle (James 5:7-11) was patience. Boy is that in short supply! But not only in our world (whether it's Christmastime or not!), but also in the Church. There seems to be a great rush to do many things, instead of a quiet, trusting patience in the Lord. Those in a rush may see patience as laziness or inactivity, but even a quick reading of James shows he is not calling us to those things, but to faith.

Whenever I hear of patience I also think of the well-known passage in 2 Timothy: "Preach the Word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching." Too often, it seems, we are quick to reprove, rebuke, and exhort with far too little patience. Perhaps this hits home for me because I know how slow and stupid I am; how long it took me to understand many things . . . and there are many things I am still trying to figure out! So I'm in it for the long haul -- both for myself, and for others. If it takes a long time, that's okay with me. Patience forces me to rely on God. It is the way of faith.