James 5:7-12

Introduction

Our culture is anything but patient- producing.

What is patience?

  • Two terms:  v.7  “longsuffering”
    • v.10-11 “perserverance” (to “hyper-stand”)
  • Patience is not giving up or giving in.  It is to be a standing-man/woman.
  • Patience is not stoicism. (I won’t let it get to me)
  • Patience is almost always linked to inner peace. (ch 5:11/Galatians 5:22)

Patience is steadiness in the face of delayed gratification and disappointment.

  • The opposite of patience is irritability, grumbling and self-pity

Four MUST-HAVE kinds of patience

  1. Patience with life  (ie the farmer)
  • Nothing really worth anything is instantaneous
  1. Patience with people (I Peter 4:8, Pr. 17:9)
  2. Patience in suffering (Job and the prophets)
  3. Patience with God.

What can we do to develop patience?

  1. Process your disappointments with prayer
  • Job never stopped praying
  1. Deliberately choose to be humble
  • Behind our impatience:We think we KNOW.
  • Instead say:  IDK
  1. Choose your own growth  (ch 1:2, Romans 5:3)

But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.Job 23:10

  1. Remember God’s patience toward you.(Hebrews 12:2)
  2. Look to the future (ch 5:8)