A pastor once told me that when he asks God to teach him certain lessons, he asks God to be gentle. Patience is one of those lessons. Other people have said that patience is one of those things you do not pray for because if you do, rest assured, God will give a reason. Chances are, it won’t be pretty, not in the moment, at least.
Whether we should or should not pray for such a thing, patience is highlighted in Scripture as a fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22). Patience is a virtue, as the aphorism goes. No wonder so many of us are just the opposite, obvious in our struggles with road rage, customers at work, or supporting the elderly. We hanker for instant gratification, the kind we eat and the kind we scroll through. We prefer the easy, but patience isn’t easy.
Patience Is Not Natural to the Human Condition
If living in the world requires patience, then being a Christian requires all the more. We encounter the same struggles plus some, namely, a call to wait on God. Any one of us can think back to a circumstance we were desperate to change yet powerless to control. We prayed. We waited. We hoped that God would act on our behalf. We had no choice but to wait because nothing we did helped or changed what was happening. God was our only way out.
Waiting in the biblical sense is more than just waiting. Scripture characterizes patience as sitting in hopeful anticipation for what is to come. That means we are confident in something good occurring and feel at peace as a result.
The reason why waiting on God requires patience is that He exists and operates beyond our natural perspective. We cannot always see Him at work the way we would another person. He doesn’t speak to us in the same way, nor can we literally see Him as we do other people. These differences leave room for us to doubt and fear.
Yet, in spite of the differences, we wait for the Lord because He calls us to do just that - wait. Even when we would rather bring about an end to a situation or escape altogether, God says to wait.
During those times, we forfeit control over our lives to God. That leaves us vulnerable to an outcome we may not prefer, but there is no outcome we could give ourselves that is better than what God ultimately has in store.
No, we don’t get a say so on the timeframe or a choice in which circumstances we face, but Scripture is clear, we wait on God to our benefit, not detriment.
Maybe that’s the reminder you need today. Here are 11 verses that remind you to wait on God.
11 Verses that Remind You to Wait on God
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.” (Galatians 5:22)
Scripture makes clear that of all the qualities we should strive to have, patience is undoubtedly one of them.
“But as it is written, What no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived— God has prepared these things for those who love him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)
There’s no denying that we face misfortunes and suffering in life, but there’s also no denying that God promises blessings for those that seek Him. We experience said blessings during our life on this Earth and after. Even if we have an idea of something we would ask for or expect, we have no idea what God has coming.
“Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6)
When we’re impatient, we worry, we fuss, and we experience angst. God doesn’t want that for us. Instead of dwelling on what we cannot control, He is willing and able to help us. We need only seek Him out.
“Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)
Dealing with the problems other people carry is no easy task, but that’s a part of our commandment to love them as ourselves. We need patience in order to do this well.
“Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying?” (Matthew 6:26-27)
Waiting on God can feel like a lifetime, and sometimes, we do wait a lifetime. What we can be sure of is that God knows our most innocuous and our most intimate needs. We just have to trust Him.
“Now if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience.” (Romans 8:25)
This verse reminds us that to be patient is to forfeit control. We can’t manipulate every circumstance we find ourselves in, and thus, the outcome will sometimes be uncertain.
“Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.” (Galatians 6:9)
Maybe this is where the aphorism ‘good things come to those who wait’ comes from. Yet another benefit, another promise that awaits us when we choose to be patient and trust God.
“A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but one slow to anger calms strife.” (Proverbs 15:18)
A lack of patience in our relationships carries the consequence of hurt, offense, and, eventually, fracture.
“When I observe your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you set in place, what is a human being that you remember him, a son of man that you look after him?” (Psalm 8:3-4)
Waiting on God may make us feel insignificant before the Lord, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Among all of His creations, we bear His image. He values us the most.
“But those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)
God helps sustain us during and after the waiting period. We simply have to keep pressing on even when we don’t see ourselves going any further.
“For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
Patience is hardest when we fear an unfortunate outcome; when we imagine that God is not just on our side, but against us. Such thoughts are not true, however, because God’s Word says that good plans await. Bad things may happen, but even those happen for good reasons - His reasons.
Conclusion
Plenty can be said about patience, but one thing everybody agrees on is, patience is difficult. Easy to understand, difficult to live out. That’s exactly why the pastor asks God to be gentle. He knows that God won’t give him a choice on the severity or longevity of his situations, but ultimately, he wants to develop a richer relationship with the Lord. We can, too, abiding in His Word, growing our own measure of patience, one situation, one relationship, and one day at a time.
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/BartekSzewczyk
Aaron D'Anthony Brown is a freelance writer, hip-hop dance teacher, and visual artist, living in Virginia. He currently contributes to Salem Web Network’s Crosswalk platform and supports various clients through the freelancing website Upwork. He's an outside-the-box thinker with a penchant for challenging the status quo.
Get in touch with him at aarondanthony.com and check out his debut short story anthology Honey Dreams on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.