Luke 21:16-19

“And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake. But there shall not an hair of your head perish. In your patience possess ye your souls.”

One of the most important traits of the Christian life is patience. We live in a “hurry up” world. It takes too long to cook a meal, so we have microwaves. It takes too long to go to the bank, so we make deposits with our phones. It takes too long to develop a skill, so we have apps to help us along. Yet nothing of lasting value can ever be accomplished unless we are willing to invest the time, diligence, and work to achieve it—and the lack of patience is one of the greatest enemies of doing things that matter.

Patience is most put to the test when we encounter difficulties and trials that seem to have no end. That is when we have the greatest opportunity to demonstrate our faith in action, as we faithfully work and wait to see what God will do. Think of Job, he lost all he loved in life and was inflicted with a disease which drained the very life out of him. Yet we find him making this remarkable statement in Job 5:8 “I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause:”