"Developing Patience When There Is No Patience" Series

What good are these trials? James goes on to say that “you know that under pressure your faith is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely.”

Perhaps this is the only way where we can see what we need to work on.

2. Let Problems Do their Work: In spite of the fact that James says that trials are a friend, or a gift, or an opportunity to produce patience in us, most of us would agree that we sure don’t want them to hang around very long. We say, “I want patience and I want it in a hurry!”

Story: A woman driver was having difficulties getting her automobile started after it had stalled in traffic. The gentleman (?) in the car behind her insisted in expressing his impatience with her by blowing his horn every few seconds.

Finally, the lady, irritated by his thoughtlessness, stepped out of her automobile, walked back to the honker’s car and said, "I’m having some difficulty in getting my car started. If you’ll go and see if you can start it, I’ll honk your horn for you!" PULPIT HELPS, Sept., 1990

James is saying, “Slow down awhile--vs. 4 says, “Let patience have her perfect work” (KJV). The NIV version says, “Perseverance must finish its work, not lacking anything.” “Let it do its work so you become mature and well developed, not deficient in any way” (Message Bible).

Can you think of a time when you tried to hurry something up and you ended up completely messing it up? I think we all have seen the results of our impatience. James reminds us to let trials do their work. Do nothing to limit it or weaken it. Let it have its full scope.

Hebrews 10:36 says, “we have need of patience so that when you have done the will of God you will receive what he has promised.”

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Someone once said, “It may be difficult to wait on the Lord, but it is worse to wish you had.”

3. It’s Worth the Effort: James says that when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in character full and complete. Patience or perseverance is the ability to continue in the faith and resist the pressures of the world system. Therefore it is worth our effort to increase in this quality. But how do we do it?

Peter gives us some insight on the “how to” in II Peter. He says, “build on what you have--your faith.” God has given to every person the measure of faith. Complement your faith by adding to it:

good character

spiritual understanding

alert discipline

passionate patience

reverent wonder

warm friendliness

generous love (Message Bible)

Each of these fit into and develop the others. You continually work on all of them at the same time.

Have you ever seen people who sit down to eat and they eat all of the mashed potatoes first, then all of the corn next, until everything is gone? Do any of you do this??

Well, I do this with jelly beans. I eat all of the black ones first, then all of the red ones, and then all of the white ones. Finally if I am desperate, I eat the yellow and orange ones.

This scripture says to work on adding a little of ALL of these characteristics together because they will help you to be able to deal with the delays and troubles that you are facing. Perseverance in facing trials develops maturity of character and balance of all the graces and strength. When patience is complete, entire and wanting nothing it furnishes us with all that is necessary for our Christian race and warfare. It will enable us to persevere to the end. We can’t give up and quit when we face delays and problems.