Patience is a muscle you can train

Patience is a muscle you can train

BY Argie Simonis  

For whatever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. (Rom 15:4) 

All the Old Testament scriptures were written for our instruction so that we would not make the same mistakes. If we ignore the lessons of the Old Testament, it is like trying to reinvent the wheel. People have already made mistakes and the Old Testament scriptures  make us aware of the consequences of those sins. We don’t have to learn the same lessons in the hard way.

By definition, patience is "a cheerful (or hopeful) endurance under difficult circumstances, constancy". Patience is simply faith applied for a prolonged period of time. Instead of a momentary faith, patience is prolonged, enduring faith. You just believe, and keep believing. 

Patience comes from the Scriptures (Romans 15:4), just as faith does (Romans 10:17). Patience is a fruit of the Spirit, just like faith (Galatians 5:22-23-patience=long suffering). It was by faith that Moses endured (Hebrews 11:27). It was through faith and patience that Abraham received the promises (Hebrews 6:12-15), and not just faith, but a faith that was constant over a twenty-five-year period of time.

Patience is not a passive word, as many people use it, but it is an active word. It is not just passively waiting on God to do something, but it is actively believing for the manifestation of God’s promise against all odds, regardless of how long it takes. 

Patience, hope, and faith are all connected. First comes hope from a promise of God’s Word. Then faith begins to give substance and evidence to those things that were hoped for (Hebrews 11:1). And if time is involved before the manifestation comes, then patience does its work (James 1:4). 

Patience comes through God’s Word and (like faith) is a muscle. Don't let your problems overwhelm you but take the opportunity to train that muscle and become stronger!