Being patient makes me more like Jesus, and that is who I should become. Let us be honest with one another: it is not easy and requires daily practice.
In the Old Testament, God was patient with the Israelites. Numbers 13 and 14 describe how God’s people were ready to enter the promised land. But when the spies Moses had sent returned and said that the enemy was stronger than the Israelites, the Israelites asked to return to Egypt, where they had spent 400 years. God remained patient and, instead of destroying them, allowed them to wander in the wilderness for forty years.
But God’s patience extends further and includes all people. In 2 Peter 3:9, Peter speaks about the day of the Lord, when Christ will return and bring all things to completion: “The Lord is not delaying the fulfilment of His promised return, as some people think. No, He is waiting patiently for your sake. He does not want anyone to be lost, and therefore He gives more time for everyone to repent.” God demonstrates His patience toward humanity by delaying this final day of judgment and giving more people the opportunity to accept God’s forgiveness.
One of the central ideas behind patience is being slow to anger. We must learn to control our anger and practise patience in every circumstance. Do not react too quickly. David was forced to become a fugitive, but he showed that he was a man after God’s own heart when he waited for God’s timing and did not take matters into his own hands by killing Saul (see 1 Samuel 24). Paul controlled his anger toward John Mark and showed patience (see Acts 15:36-41). When Job lost everything, he did not curse God but remained patient (see Job 42).
We learn from David, Paul and Job that patience is a virtue we develop by controlling our anger, especially during difficult times. Patience improves our relationships with other people and brings great joy into our lives. Practise it every day.
Written by Hendrik Nel