Patience In The Waiting 👩🏿‍🌾

“Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!

Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” -James 5:7-11

Like a farmer who awaits harvest season, God patiently awaits His children with open arms in every season. He waits on the field, searching far and wide for His sons and daughters to return back home. There is no limit to His grace and mercy towards us. As believers, we are reminded to cultivate a lifestyle of endurance amidst the difficulties of this race called life. There is grace for each season but we must continually seek the Lord. God is patient with us and longs for us to bear this fruit of His character until He comes. We can never be patient by our own power. We need the Lord to teach us but we must be willing to surrender our lives and make ourselves available before the Father. Patience is a virtue we are told time and time again but the truth is, how can we exercise patience when we do not seek the one who inhabits this attribute?

You see, a farmer has no choice but to wait for the land to yield valuable crops. The farmer has to wait patiently for the right season to come so that His crops are well taken care of; showered with grace, light and love. As believers, we do not know when the Lord is coming but like the farmer, we must wait. Even in the waiting, we must not be idle. “The judge is standing at the door.” Though we cannot see Him, we trust in Him. We have faith that He id working all things together for our good. He is strengthening our roots, watering our seeds and preparing us for the harvest. You cannot expect a harvest when you refuse to plant. What will you be reaping when you chose not to sow? Our expectation of how our garden should look like by a certain season but be determined by our commitment in planting and watering the seeds in our lives at the proper time. For it is written, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (See Galatians 6:9). The secret is do not give up. You will reap a harvest (if) we do do not give up.

Unto those who persevere, they are identified as blessed. Are you blessed? Oh yes you are. You are blessed beyond measure. Your blessing is not attached to your wealth here on Earth. You are blessed because you belong to the Father. Everything that comes from the Heavenly lights are blessed to be a blessing. As Job persevered, you too persevere. Press on in this race. Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith. Seek the Lord and His strength. In your weakness, His grace is sufficient for you. Call on His Name. Rest in the shadow of His wings. Receive joy even in the waiting. Experience the peace, hope and goodness of your Heavenly Father. In the waiting, God is pruning you. He is refining you. He is molding you into His likeness. It’s in the waiting season that we learn the essence of trusting God. We are reminded in Proverbs 3:5 to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” So learn to put your trust in the all-knowing Father. He cares for you and His plans are great concerning you.

Go through the process with God. Be patient in the waiting and be rest assured about the promises of the Lord now and forevermore.

Reflection Questions

1. Are you a patient person? What determines one’s patience?

2. If you can give an example of when your patience was tested, what would you say? How did you respond to the situation?

3. As you go forth into the week, what are some ways you can display the fruit of patience?

4. What are you trusting God for? What are you doing even in the waiting season? What are some ways you are preparing for what you’ve been trusting God for?

Ways To Patient In The Waiting

1. Meditate on the word of God. Stay connected to the Vine!

2. Speak the word over your life.

3. Ask God to teach you to be patient. Ask the Holy Spirit to continually fill you up with His spirit.

4. Pray without ceasing! In every season, pray. Seek the heart of the father. Humble yourself. Position your heart to hear what God is saying to in every season.

5. Pass the test. You will be tested a lot in the area of your patience. You say you have the fruit but when you are given the test, does your result showcase the ripeness of your fruit?

6. Surround yourself with Christ like minded people. There is so much joy in knowing that someone is praying for you. Having community is very important and aids immensely in the believers walk with Christ. Jesus prayed so we must continue to pray for one another.

Verses To Ponder
“May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.” 2 Peter 1:2-4

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” –Galatians 5:22-23

“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” -Isaiah 55:10-11

“I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” -Lamentations 3:24-26

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. -James 1:2-4

It’s a new day. I hope your doing well. I hope that your day will be productive and meaningful. Have a wonderful day 😊🌻👩🏿‍🌾