Patience—I think most people use some improvement in this area, in every aspect of their daily life. I know I could. Merriam-Webster defines being patient as “bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint” and “steadfast (firm, unwavering, committed) despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity.” God’s Word speaks of patience as one of the nine fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), and Proverbs 14:29 states that “Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly” (NIV). This is a great example of what patience really means to God. Patience is part of the masterpiece of spirituality that exists to instate calm, reverence, clear thinking, and altogether a stronger character in a person. Patience, or being patient, allows us to remain in the understanding of a situation, to guide a process with self-control, and thoughtful action, and to be still in the moments of waiting. Even if the situation is stressful or agitated, or exciting and positive, patience brings compassion, peace, and strength to any situation.
Being patient allows God to do his work—in me, in you, in others, and every situation. Patience allows God the time he needs to make things happen, the time he needs for us to hear his guidance and rest in his loving presence, assured that all is well and that he is working. When we are not being patient, we open the door for the enemy to take our fleshly actions and use them for his purpose. We lay down our defense and become a puppet to people, places, and things at the enemy’s hand. This does not produce fruit but produces more havoc. We belong to God, not the enemy. So be brave and choose patience over anger, choose patience over frustration. Choose patience, goodness, and self-control over being controlled. Let God work in you and through you! It is important to remember that true completion of any situation only comes when we let God do the work and we do our part by following the steps he lays out in front of us. Patience is one of those steps.
I believe here at Jobs of Hope, we as a staff are given the opportunity to practice patience in how we work with the men of our program. Change is challenging, and removing or reshaping old behaviors that are deeply ingrained into a person’s thinking is a challenge. As a staff, we are trying to positively impact our participants in every way, and while it can be easy to become frustrated when we see those efforts lost to the way of the “streets” or to the way of “self” in our men, patience with the process of change is one way that we can continue to empower our men and show them faith in action. When we are patient with our men, they can be patient with themselves, and learn to be patient with others.
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