PATIENCE

And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. (Hebrews 6:15 ESV)

The Scriptures tell us that patience is a fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22 ESV) Paul writes that patience is a quality that we should put on. (Colossians 3:12 ESV) Patience is an important characteristic of the Christian life. It requires submission to God’s Word and Will. We are like clay and He is our Potter. We are the work of His hands. (Isaiah 64:8 ESV) Impatience opposes God’s work in us. Our obsession with getting results quickly – often leads us to take shortcuts that actually inhibit spiritual growth.  On the other hand, godly patience encourages spiritual growth as we wait for the fulfillment of God’s promises.

MAKING PEARLS

Charles H. Spurgeon:

I wish, brothers and sisters, that we could all imitate “the pearl oyster”—A hurtful particle intrudes itself into its shell, and this vexes and grieves it. It cannot reject the evil, but what does it do but “cover” it with a precious substance extracted out of its own life, by which it turns the intruder into a pearl! Oh, that we could do so with the provocations we receive from our fellow Christians, so that pearls of patience, gentleness, and forgiveness might be bred within us by that which otherwise would have harmed us.

 

 

WAITING

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! (Psalm 27:14 ESV)

But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me. (Micah 7:7 ESV)

Most of us probably tend to grow impatient when we have to wait. The world’s desire for immediate gratification has influenced us deeply. We hate waiting on fast food or on eBay to deliver our purchases. This carries over into our spiritual lives as well.

Waiting seems to be one way that God builds our character. Waiting during challenging times helps us to understand our dependency on God and grow in intimacy with Him. Waiting means confidence in God’s wisdom. It means trusting in God’s promises, providence, and sovereignty.

Waiting on God does not mean sitting down in a comfortable chair and taking a break. It is spending time in God’s Word and praying for wisdom. Waiting on God will result in a prosperous spirit and renewed strength. (Isaiah 40:30-31, ESV) Waiting on God includes keeping His Word in our hearts. We commit ourselves to biblical actions of faith in God’s goodness, provision and timing.

SLANDER

Charles H. Spurgeon:

“It is a fine thing, when you are slandered, not to hear it. And it is a better thing to never reply to it. I have always tried to possess one deaf ear and one blind eye—and I believe that the deaf ear is the better ear, and the blind eye by far the more useful of the two. Do not remember the injury that is done to you, try to forget it and pass it over. Do not go about the world determined to grasp every red-hot iron that any fool holds out before you. Let it alone! It will be for your own good and for God’s Glory to be very patient under the slander of the wicked.” (1894, Sermon #2385)

Pearls

Charles H. Spurgeon:

I wish, brothers and sisters, that we could all imitate “the pearl oyster”—A hurtful particle intrudes itself into its shell, and this vexes and grieves it. It cannot reject the evil, but what does it do but “cover” it with a precious substance extracted out of its own life, by which it turns the intruder into a pearl! Oh, that we could do so with the provocations we receive from our fellow Christians, so that pearls of patience, gentleness, and forgiveness might be bred within us by that which otherwise would have harmed us.