Afterword: Do You Need More Impatience?
CONTENTS
Introduction: In a Hurry to Be Patient PART ONE: How Patience Works 1. What Patience Is 2. Why Faith and Hope Need Patience 3. Patience and Love 4. The Patience Super-Weapon PART TWO: Case Studies in Patience 5. The Patience of Job 6. The Patience of Joseph 7. The Patience of Moses 8. The Patience of Paul Afterword: Do You Need More Impatience? About Our Books
INTRODUCTION: IN A HURRY TO BE PATIENT
"let us run with patience the race that is set before us" (Hebrews 12:1 KJV). Is there a gene for patience? Sometimes one might wonder! Patience seems to come naturally for some people – even in very difficult situations – while others are not so fortunate. You will know which type of person you are if you are already waiting for this introduction to be over so you can get on with the book.
I have always been impatient. Overcoming this failing is part of my personal Christian climb. I have read the biblical verses relating to this subject many times over and some have been extremely helpful, but trying to be patient when you're feeling impatient can be a bit like trying to feel fine when you are not feeling well. But it is an important battle and one we must all fight to some degree – and that is the reason for this book.
Although many people admit that patience is a virtue, it is easy to regard it as only a minor one - a distant cousin of the great spiritual virtues such as faith and love. But as this book will make clear, patience is actually of fundamental importance in the Christian life. The following chapters not only will show exactly what the Bible says about the need for patience (which is quite a bit more than many people realize), but also will look at some of the unexpected ways the Scriptures guide and help us to make patience a part of our Christian lives.
Of course, patience is not just a concern for Christians. Throughout history many great thinkers, leaders, and successful individuals have stressed the value of patience as a vital quality for successful and happy living. Consider just a few of these words of wisdom:
"Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet." – Aristotle "Patience is the companion of wisdom." – Augustine "Patience is a conquering virtue." – Geoffrey Chaucer "Patience serves as a protection against wrongs." – Leonardo da Vinci "How poor are they that have not patience!" – William Shakespeare "The two most powerful warriors are patience and time." – Leo Tolstoy "To lose patience is to lose the battle." – Mahatma Gandhi "Patience is a key element of success." – Bill Gates
Doubtless many of these individuals were patient types themselves, though Mark Twain spoke on behalf of those of us who are not so blessed when he wrote, "All good things arrive unto them that wait – and don't die in the meantime." Twain's wry comment contains a grain of truth – patience is not an easy virtue to practice; only a minority of people exhibit it consistently. There is an old Moroccan saying that "At the gate of patience there is no crowding" – which also stresses just how few people really develop patience in their lives.
But as Christians we are told to do exactly that. Jesus commanded his disciples: "By your patience possess your souls" (Luke 21:19 NKJV). In more modern language that means through patience "gain your lives" (CSB) or "win life" (NIV). If we think about it, that is an amazing statement. It not only urges us to be patient in life, but also promises us that being patient will lead to life! We all tend to remember and think about Jesus' words: "Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it" (Matthew 10:39). But do we give equal time and thought to the fact he also said "through patience, gain your lives"? The author of the book of Hebrews makes this command completely clear for us: "For you have need of patience, that, after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promise" (Hebrews 10:36 KJ2K). Looked at another way, patience is a trait of God himself (2 Peter 3:9), and he calls us to be like him (Ephesians 5:1). So patience is a quality that every Christian needs and – as we will see – we all need more of. But how do we develop patience if we don't naturally have it – and how do we gain more even if we are already fairly patient?
Patience is a fruit of the Spirit of God (Galatians 5:22-23 ESV), but that doesn't mean that God makes us instantly patient if we ask for his help with this trait. As someone once humorously observed, if you ask God for patience, don't expect a quick reply. But we are called to develop patience with the assistance we are given, and if we do so, we will not only help confirm our own ultimate Christian reward, we will also make life much better for ourselves and for others in the meantime. This book shares understandings and principles we can all use in doing that, especially those of us who need more patience – quickly!
PART ONE: HOW PATIENCE WORKS