“For ye have need of patience …” (Hebrews 10:36) “Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.” (2 Thessalonians 3:5)
We typically think of patience as the ability to wait for something. When our kids want something right away we tell them to “be patient.” Oh, how hard it is for kids (and adults) to wait! But the concept of patience in scripture entails more than simple waiting. Patience is the strength to endure difficult and painful situations with a courageous and faithful spirit until they are over.
When the trial is long and our strength is giving out we question how much longer we can take it. We hear a whisper in our ear: “This is unbearable.” And when we believe such we begin to think of how we can escape.
The patience of Christ was found in His enduring all things the Father gave Him to pass through. Instead of running away, He ran to God, and received daily strength to keep going on a path of obedience.
Nothing in this life was unbearable to Christ. He patiently bore all things, without turning aside to an evil response, or turning back to save His life. Through Him, we can endure all things. Looking to Him, we can run the race set before us with patience. The evil we face will not turn us evil. The weakness we feel will not make us retreat. We will do all things through Christ who strengthens us. With His patience growing in us daily, we will not only finish our race, but we will hear our Lord’s “Well done” as the reward of our patience.