JAMES 5:8

Be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.

TO PONDER:

It’s one of the most frustrating and annoying situations – waiting to try and talk with a government department. You ring the number, get the automated menu, spend minutes filtering through all the menu options, are placed in a queue and given your wait time. Just when you think you are making progress, there’s a long beep on the other end of the line. The call goes dead! Half an hour of your life you won’t get back.

Waiting is hard as James points out in these verses and requires much patience. But it’s hard to be patient when circumstances are uncontrollable. Just ask a farmer. It’s hard to be patient when people are unchangeable. Just ask the prophets. It’s hard to be patient when problems are unexplainable. Just ask Job.

When waiting is hard, and patience is low, James reminds us, “The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.’ It’s God’s faithfulness to his promises that anchors our waiting. God is always in control. It may be out of our control, but things are never out of his control. So wait…patiently…for God to act.

Where in your life are you struggling to remain patient? 

PRAYER:

Faithful God, when my patience is tested today, fill me with your compassion and mercy, that your grace may flow out from me. Amen.

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