PATIENCE – THE GLUE THAT HOLDS EVERYTHING TOGETHER

Walking with Jesus, in the Narrow Path is not a one-time short event. It is not like a 100 meters dash, where the adrenaline rush, and the speed, wins the race for the athlete. It is rather like a full marathon of 42.195 kilometres, where patience and perseverance, above everything else, is absolutely essential. PATIENCE and PERSEVERANCE are absolutely essential for our Christian walk.
– “Patience with others is love. Patience with self is hope. Patience with God is faith.” – Adel Bestavros
– “​1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” – Hebrews 12:1-2

Over the years, I have gathered that, LOVE, ACCEPTANCE, SACRIFICE and FORGIVENESS are the four cardinal virtues of a Christian. Upon these four virtues, like pillars of our faith, is built our Christian character, our Christian life – our Christ-like thoughts, words, deeds and walk. However there is a fifth virtue, which holds these four cardinal virtues together as glue. This fifth virtue is PATIENCE. Without godly patience, along with its inalienable other side, the PERSEVANRANCE, it is impossible to LOVE, ACCEPT, SACRIFICE and FORGIVE.
– “Patience includes perseverance – the ability to bear up under weariness, strain, and persecution when doing the work of the Lord.” – Billy Graham

One might be questioning my logic here. Now let me explain, why I think so. Whether it is Love, Acceptance, Sacrifice or Forgiveness, they are not one time events in all our relationships. We have to KEEP ON LOVING, KEEP ON ACCEPTING, KEEP ON SACRIFICING, and KEEP ON FORGIVING the same person, again and again, over our lifetime. This is what our LORD Jesus expects from us because, this is precisely how He deals with me, you and everyone else, who wants to walk with Him, as His child, and His disciple. Isn’t it so?
– “Our lives are to be characterised by patience, for it is important in developing the mature, stable character which God wants to produce in His people.” – Billy Graham

What keeps such “unearthly” kind of LOVE, ACCEPTANCE, SACRIFICE and FORGIVENESS going? It is by being PATIENT with the person, just as God is patient with me, you and everyone else, and persevere in doing them, untill the desired end. Don’t you think so? 

We need patience with God too. We should learn to PATIENTLY WAIT UPON God, and also, PATIENTLY WAIT FOR God. Such patience is absolutely essential for us to trust and depend on God. If we have no patience, we become fidgety, and begin to think and act like Abram and Sara, who birthed Ismael out of impatience and self-will; and like Saul, who went ahead without prophet Samuel, and offered the sacrifice to the LORD, and lost not only his kingship, but a whole lot more. 
– “”Wait on the Lord” -is a constant refrain in the Psalms, and it is a necessary word, for God often keeps us waiting. He is not in such a hurry as we are, and it is not his way to give more light on the future than we need for action in the present—or to guide us more than one step at a time.  When in doubt—do nothing—but continue to wait on God. When action is needed, light will come.” – J. I. Packer

Patience is absolutely essential for our life, dear friends. Especially as a Christian, as we walk our LORD, as his disciples; and as we walk in the world, as our LORD’s ambassadors. 
– “12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.” – Colossians 3:12-13

How is it going with us? Are we patient? Do we persevere? What kind of character is shaping up in us? Is Christ-like character being shaped in us? Do we exhibit godly patience, and persevere without losing our enthusiasm in loving, accepting, sacrificing and forgiving people, over and over, in all our relationships? Even so, the LORD help us.