P3 Patient With The Process

ByJim Stephens

Reading: James 5:7-8; Psalm 37:7; Psalm 40:1; Romans 15:4-5

7 Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. 8 You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near. (James 5:7-8 NLT)

Be Patient As You Wait. We wait for the Lord’s return. And the more difficulties we face, the more eagerly and often anxiously we wait. The people these words were written to faced persecution: loss of jobs, loss of property, imprisonment, and loss of life. James had to have known what challenging words he was writing to them. He said take courage as you patiently wait.

More from James: Patience isn’t passive! The farmers prepare the soil, plant the seeds, pull the weeds. They work hard while they’re waiting for the rains that make the crop grow! There’s part of the process we can do. We should do it! There’s part of the process we can’t do! We should be patient. We should wait. We should look forward to the outcome. We can take courage and trust God to do his part in his time!

Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. (Psalm 37:7 NLT)

Don’t worry about schemers who always seem to get what they want. When you have prayed, when you have done your part, wait patiently.

I waited patiently for the LORD to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry.  (Psalm 40:1 NLT)

This is the testimony of a man who cried out to the Lord and then waited patiently: “He turned to me and heard my cry!”

Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled. (Romans 15:4 NLT)

Prayer:

Father, Thank you for the hope and encouragement the Scriptures provide as we wait patiently for your promises to be fulfilled. We will wait patiently and trust in you alone!