Patience! Are we patient or just enduring? There is a difference, and just getting through the hard times might take us down the wrong path.

Yes, I know I started through the Fruits of the Spirit last year and didn’t complete them. If you want to review the postings we completed in 2024, click on the following fruits: love, joy, and peace. I will finish this series in 2025. As stated above, we resume with patience.

Pencil that say inhale exhale to acquire patience

How important is patience, really? In fact, a little impatience helps us move forward and achieve. Perhaps, but let’s look at one woman’s impatience that brought a lot of trouble.

SARAH THE IMPATIENT!

Sarah got tired of waiting on God’s promise for a son. Understandably, she was very old and had waited years. So, she gave her maidservant (Hagar) to her husband, Abraham, as a surrogate mother. Ishmael was born from this union. What was the result of this impatience?

Dissension in the family. Sarah was jealous of Hagar because she had a child.

Of course, God did fulfill His promise and, after Sarah gave birth to Isaac, dissension in the the family got worse. It got so bad that Sarah told Abraham to exile Ishmael and Hagar.

Sarah's lack of patience led to Hagar and Ishmael being sent away

God promised Hagar that Ishmael would have many descendants and be a large nation. (Genesis 21: 17-18) Well, these descendants (the Arab Nations) and Isaac’s descendants (the Jewish nation) are still fighting today!

Yes, her impatience brought devastating results then and now.

WHAT IS GODLY PATIENCE?

Well, there was Noah.

Patience while on the ark

We know that Noah was obedient in building the ark and 1 Peter 2:5, tells us that Noah was a preacher of righteousness trying to save others. He also showed great patience after the flood sending out the birds until God said it was time to depart from the boat.

Then there was Simeon whose story is found in Luke 2: 25-35.

Simeon praising God for seeing the baby Jesus

Most likely a very old man. However, the Holy Spirit was upon him and Simeon was promised that he would see the Messiah before he died. This man patiently waited for God’s promise to come true in his life. Scripture tells us he was led by the Holy Spirit to go to the Temple on a particular day; which just happened to be the day when Mary and Joseph presented Jesus in obedience to God’s laws of purification and the first born. (Exodus 13:2, Leviticus 12: 6-8, and Numbers 18: 15-16)

HOW WERE THESE MEN PATIENT AS THEY SUBMITTED TO GOD?
YOUR WILL GOD, NOT MINE

Noah submitted to God and built an ark according to specifications, despite not fully understanding the order.

Simeon lived by following the direction of the Holy Spirit, despite not beholding the Messiah as he grew older. This obedience led him to the Temple at just the right time.

And then there is Jesus, the most patient of all. Sure, Jesus prayed in the garden and asked for a reprieve when he faced crucifixion. Who wouldn’t? Remember Jesus was fully human too. Despite this anguished prayer (and never doubt it was intense that evening) He ended with “Your Will God, Not Mine.” (Mark 14: 32-36)

Jesus alone in the garden before the crucifixion
SPEAK THE TRUTH

Noah spoke the truth about God even as other people probably thought he was crazy.

Do you think the truthful words Simeon spoke were hard to voice to Mary? But he did so anyway.

Jesus also spoke truth despite the words moving along His guilty verdict and closer to the cross. He told the high priest:

“In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of God, Powerful One, and coming on clouds in the sky.” Blasphemy the high priest screamed! This man claims to be God. (Mark 14: 60-65 NCV))

In John 19:11, Jesus told Pilate that the government had no power over Him, only what God allows.

This kind of talk was simply not acceptable.

JOY AND HOPE

Noah’s continual building through many years demonstrates his hope for the future and preaching to others indicates a joy in the Lord. Simeon never lost hope as he waited for the fulfillment of God’s promise and expressed great joy when he saw Jesus. Obviously, Jesus made His great sacrifice because of His hope for the future of mankind and the joy of His returning to the Father.

SO, PRACTICALLY WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ENDURING AND SUBMITTING?

“In regard of God, patience is a submission to His sovereignty. To endure a trial, simply because we cannot avoid or resist it, is not Christian patience. But to humbly submit because it is the will of God…to be silent because the sovereignty of God orders it – is true godly patience.” Stephen Charnock

WE ENDURE
Woman not being patient but enduring

If we are angry at God during difficult times – think of Jonah. If you don’t know the story see Jonah 3: 1-5 and 4: 1-3.

Our underlying joy is gone during the difficult time.

Not believing God is with us during the difficult times.

WE SUBMIT
Bible with note that we submit because of Jesus' sacrifice

When we express our love of God and have the underlying joy in God through the pain and sorrow.

Prayer and spending time with God is still part of our lives. Talking to God about our problems, even expressing our sadness, but also with praise and thanksgiving.

We always land on God’s will, not ours. Knowing God’s will is best.

RESOURCES AND COMMENTS

Check out ‘How are we to submit to God?’ for more understanding about this sometimes complex subject.

As always, comments are welcome. Are you enjoying this series? Do you have any other suggestions or ideas about how to submit to God rather than just endure. Share, you may bless a sister in Christ.