“But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing” (James 1:4 KJV).
Yes, patience is a discipline.
Not a punishment, but a glorious characteristic, which the LORD has demonstrated to us by His longsuffering of our sinfulness to give us time to repent. “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2Peter 3:9 KJV).
If anyone can tell us what patience is, the Lord can. The faith that pleases Him will be tested to produce the fruit of patience. Just ask Job. “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience” (James 1:3 KJV). Yahweh knows how to take raw confidence in Him and turn it into the mature character of Christ through the everyday process of testing. Rejoice that our Father knows how not to lead us into the temptation that results in sin. Instead, He directs our circumstances to produce the enduring fruit of patience. “2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers [or, diverse] temptations [or, testings]; 3 Knowing this, that the trying [or, testing] of your faith worketh patience” (1:2-3 KJV).
Why then do we so often find ourselves stumbling into sin?
We know better.
We take our eyes off Jesus.
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2 KJV).
Our hearts are always parked or dwelling somewhere. That is our abiding place, where we remain or continue with Christ. Until we move away from that place, we are complete or perfect in Christ. Jesus humbly reminded us our perfection was in our Father. “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48 KJV).
When we patiently endure life’s circumstances, we are building and perfecting the Kingdom of God in us.
May we keep our eyes so thoroughly on Jesus that our daily testings produce the character of Christ.
Amen and amen.
We Need A Miracle 