James 5:7-8 “Be patient, therefor
brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the
precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early
and late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of
the Lord is at hand.” (NIV)
Young people today, and I am
talking about people mostly under 25, really don’t remember life without having
everything at their fingertips. Every bit of media can be streamed from a TV, tablet,
or even a phone. Everything you could ever imagine can be purchased and shipped
right to your front door. You can now get food delivered that way; no shopping
required. It all is right there, all the time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
You can even renew your driver’s license online.
I remember a time when waiting was
just a part of life. Actually, it was a very big part of life. We all had our
favorite movies that would be shown on television once or twice a year,
depending on where you lived. We couldn’t wait for Planet of the Apes, Godzilla,
or Gidget to start on the ABC 4:30 movie. Christmas specials were played
once, and if you happened to miss them…well, better luck next year. Everyone
would listen to the radio, and when your favorite song came on, it was just the
BEST! Most moms went to the grocery store and prepared dinner every night.
Going out to dinner was a special occasion for many people. Pizza was an after-dinner
snack and not a meal. Sunday was for church and (during the season) football.
Well, one of those things still stands. A lot of kids had newspaper routes as
their first job. It was a rite of passage, and you had to wait for the older
kid in the neighborhood to get a real part-time job so you could have a turn. Gosh,
there are so many other examples! One for my family was waiting for my dad, who
was a merchant marine, to return from his sea voyages. Now that was a
very long and difficult one.
I wonder if all of this “on-demand”
living is making young people, and actually older people as well, less patient.
Are we willing to wait for anything anymore, or does agitation easily set in?
The Bible tells us that patience is one of the fruits of the Spirit. According
to bible.knowing-jesus.com, patience is mentioned in the Bible 70 times. It must be an important
attribute to have if so much attention drawn to it. It is certainly a requirement
of faith, which is sadly lacking in our world right now. The numbers of believers
are at an all-time low, as least in America. Does our culture have something to
do with that? How can it be anything else? The more on-demand our lives become,
the less we are willing to be still and wait. Non-religion affiliation and
atheism are on the rise among young people. (Barna Group study) Is this a coincidence?
Psalm 37:7 “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently before
Him; fret not yourselves over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who
carries out evil devices.”
Anyone who has prayed and sought out answers from God knows
that patience is the number one thing that you have to practice. Sure,
sometimes and answer comes right away; I have certainly had this happen before.
Most of the time, however, you have to stay patient in faith and continue seeking
God. As every believer knows, faith grows over time as well. Conversion is instantaneous,
but walking a Christian walk is for the rest of your life and not always easy. There
are times of great joy and of deep sorrow, but God is always in every situation
of our lives. Jesus, thankfully, said these words in John 16:7, “Nevertheless I
tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go
away, the Spirit will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you.” (ESV)
We are never alone in the waiting, and if we ask, Jesus will give us patience
and the “peace that passes all understanding.”
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