Add Patience (Endurance)

Dearly Beloved, I trust this finds you well and bubbling in the Lord. In addition to the promises we have, and faith, we have been encouraged to apply all effort to develop virtue, knowledge, self-control, and to that, patience (2 Peter 1v5-6). Patience can be defined as “the ability to wait, or to continue doing something despite difficulties, or to suffer without complaining or becoming annoyed; the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, problems or sufferings without becoming annoyed or anxious; the quality of being patient, as the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like; an ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay.”

How patient are you? The Lord will have us develop patience. Indeed, we find that patience is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Our God is a patient God. For example, do you know that through patience, the Lord delays His coming back? 2 Peter 3v9 (AMP) says “The Lord does not delay and is not tardy or slow about what He promises, according to some people’s conception of slowness, but He is long-suffering (extraordinarily patient) toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance.” In the same way, we are encouraged to wait patiently for the Lord’s return. James 5v7-8 (AMPC) says “So be patient, brethren, [as you wait] till the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits expectantly for the precious harvest from the land. [See how] he keeps up his patient [vigil] over it until it receives the early and the late rains. So you also must be patient. Establish your hearts [strengthen and confirm them in the final certainty], for the coming of the Lord is very near.”

Prayer

Father, I thank You for Your Word. We thank You for You do not want anyone to perish but all to be redeemed. We pray that You will send labourers into Your vineyard, for the harvest is plenteous but the labourers are few. Help me to continue to keep watch and patiently wait for Your return and be an ambassador of the gospel in Jesus name, amen.