Wednesday: Models of Patient Endurance
Read James 5:10-11. What do Job and the prophets have in common? Why do you think these examples are highlighted? What personal lessons can we take away from these stories for ourselves amid our own trials?
The prophets of Israel were faithful in preaching the word of the Lord without altering or compromising it. Hebrews, in extolling the prophets’ fidelity to God, paints a clear picture: they stopped the mouths of lions [Daniel]. Quenched the violence of fire [Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego], escaped the edge of the sword [Elijah and Elisha],. . .had . .. imprisonment [Jeremiah and Micaiah],…stoned [Zechariah, son of Jehoiada],… sawn asunder [Isaiah] . . . [and] slain with the sword [see 1 Kings 19:10] (Heb. 11:33-37). Of course, Job’s sufferings are also proverbial, as is the patience he exemplified despite derision by his own wife and the censure of those who came to commiserate with him. What set these heroes of faith and many others apart from the normal or average follower of God? James mentions several qualities: patience, endurance, and, above all, hope and trust in God.
One of the attributes is patience (makrothymias), also translated as longsuffering or forbearance. It refers to the capacity to stand up under difficult circumstances and trials, to weather whatever life (or the devil!) throws at us. The prophets endured all their suffering for the word of God patiently (James 5:10). The word is used frequently in the New Testament, including in a reference to Abraham waiting patientlyduring his many years of sojourning for God to fulfill His promise to give him a son (Heb. 6:12, Heb. 6:15). It also describes Jesus bearing up patiently through all His sufferings and death on the cross (2 Pet. 3:15).
Endurance (hypomone), on the other hand, focuses on the end goal of this process, looking forward to the finish line. Job is put forward as the epitome of this quality. Despite all he suffered, Job looked steadfastly toward the final vindication he expected to receive (Job 14:13-15, Job 19:23-27).
What are you struggling with now? What have you prayed for that has not yet come? How often have you even felt a sense of hopelessness? Think through the trials of some of the Bible characters listed above (or others); imagine how helpless they must have felt at times. What can you draw from their suffering that could help you work through your own?
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Endurance! In this day and age of instant gratification waiting for God's plans for us and the world as a whole is not a quality we see that often. The health and wealth now gospel is not the true gospel.
The true gospel is a wonderful amazing relationship with the LORD now and when He sees the time is right He will make an end to this world and after a time He will re-create the world to be populated by those of us who have a re-created heart.
In my family's lives I have seen so often how the LORD waits until the last moment to do a miracle, to test whether we really trust Him and to make it so clear that after all human efforts have failed, it could only have been a miracle. It makes life scary and exciting.
Jesus told us - But he who endures to the end, the same shall be kept safe. Mat 24:13. I always remind myself, my main goal is a loving, saving relationship with Jesus, the perfect world made new is only the cherry on top, not the main goal, but understanding that this world is not all there is, this is not the kind of life God ever wanted for us, helps me to understand God's character and to love Him more.
People sometime ask me how could a loving God allow this or that to happen, my answer is He doesn't want to but He gave us free choice and what He wants is us to agree that we want Him to stop anyone and everyone from doing anything bad. We as individuals submit ourselves to Him as King now and in the end everyone will bow the knee and admit His right to decide what is right or wrong, to be just and the justifier.
Heb 11:39-40 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: (40) God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
I've learned that in all things, learn to be pateint. God answers prayers
God has promised that He will neither leave us nor forsake us,so even when we feel hopeless,worthless and faithless,He is there,saying Peace be still.
Very powerful comments up there! James 5:10-11
V10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
V11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy
Job and prophets had something in common; suffered affliction and yet endured it.
Although it's coined "patient endurance" to me endurance in and of itself includes patience within. This is because in endurance one feels the pain but hangs in there: 1. Without seeking alternatives and 2. Without fixing a time frame for enduring.
In endurance tho, one 1. is hopeful that "storms will not blow or pain will not last forever" and 2. Doesn't dwell in the present but future (goal - that one day storms or pain will end) and it's the future that gives strength for the present.
Such strength is also referred to as "happy" in the beatitudes and the reason for that happiness is the goal "they will inherit the kingdom, they will see God" etc
James Fausset Brown commentary refers to Bengel's commentary on God being pitiful and of tender mercy. He shows God our Father for who He truly is. Just like a human father will not whip forever but withdraws the punishment at some stage, so much more God whose "...pity is shown in not laying on the patient endurer more trials than He is able to bear;"
thanx for the encouragng phrses
Oh God, help us to be patient. Help us to be faithful amidst a deceiving world. On our own we can't stand the bewitching influence of this world. Help us to stand amidst trials both physical and internal. Remember us always as we struggle.
Amen.
Patient Endurance. What an important lesson and one of the most frequently taught through all of Scripture. From Abraham (if not the garden) right down to us as modern day Israel and it's one of the most difficult to learn.
I agree with you the Lord often waits until the last moment to assist us in our lives as a test of our loyalty to Him and that is a test whether we truly believe Him or not.
Patience is a reliable tool to have in one's arsenal. Really more like a friend so to speak. It helps us when confronted by distractors, especially when those might just be other members of the church and allows us to take a break or a moment to show mercy toward them by not engaging in debate no matter how strongly our opinion or how hurt or troubled we may find ourselves.
James uses equestrian terminology a few times, for instance James chapter 3 instructs us to bridle our toungues. That takes patience. He also reminds us to have humility and meekness. As we learned meekness isn't weakness, quite the contrary. Meekness in the Greek equates a wild horse that has been tamed/bridled. There is still a great deal of power there but through the gentle breaking of God (even though it sometimes feels rough and hurts), we become dependable servants. God is the gentle rider who coaxes us where He chooses for His good purpose.
Patience helps us when struggling with personal set backs, or future goals. It works to our advantage in negative and/or positive situations. And that's a beautiful thing to have.
Patience precedes endurance. It allows endurance to become more tolerable if not easier. Paul refers to running a race and I see it here in James as well. To run a race we must build up our strength first which applies here.
We need not look further than the Patriarchs and Prophets to really learn this lesson on patient endurance. They lived. And the Lord wants us to live, and to live with all the grace and wisdom He can bestow upon us. Through His gifts is the secret to life though it's no secret at all. We just have to reach out and grab hold, and be patient.
The verses in James 5:10-11, remind me of Revelation 14:12. Here [comes in a call for] the steadfastness of the saints [the patience, the endurance of the people of God], those who [habitually] keep God’s commandments and [their] faith in Jesus. The examples of patience and suffering for our faith in Jesus is James way of saying, hold on to your confession. Hebrews 4:14.
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.
(2 Peter 3:8 - NIV)
1000years is like one day to God and taken further,six days is like one second to God.Taking our impatience in this perspective,when we pray and six days go by and we have not seen any answer nor received any relief God may wonder why we are not patient as it is only one second ago that we asked!Let us be patient and enduring for our God has not forgotten us.
“No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God . . . and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father in heaven.”
I believe Our God is a God of time...hes never late. Now to have patience in him you must first learn to trust him. When you trust him then you will know that whatever you might be going through you are not alone and indeed in his right time God will always come through for you. No matter the outcome..