Week 43 – Day 3

HE PURSUIT OF PATIENCE

But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
1 TIMOTHY 6:11

Another word for patience is “constancy” which according to Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language means: “Fixedness or firmness of mind; persevering resolution; steady, unshaken determination; particularly applicable to firmness of mind under sufferings, to steadiness in attachments, and to perseverance in enterprise. Lasting affection; stability in love or friendship.”

Patience as applied to Timothy here could be any or all of the following: 1) perseverance under trials and persecution, 2) unshaken determination to combat false teachers by presenting the truth of the gospel, and/or 3) patience or longsuffering toward those believers entrusted to his care as pastor. Believers today need that same type of patience. People who assist with Susan’s care must have the third type of patience, the longsuffering of dealing with her earth-suit and all its proclivities. She has hyper-nerve sensitivity which makes even clipping and filing her finger nails a test of one’s patience. Mother Theresa and Job would even have a difficult time with her nails. We have been blessed with people who did not give up on Susan when she would say, “slow, slow, slow” every time they turned her even though they had done it hundreds of times. (She is much better about that one now.) The brothers and sisters in Christ who transfer Susan into her power chair and back into bed sometimes must wait several minutes for her to grab her wild left arm with her right hand before they can move her. All believers need to follow after patience. Patience toward our brothers and sisters who may have annoying traits or are not understanding something that is clear to us. Patience when we suffer trials knowing that they serve to make us stronger in the Lord. Patient hope as we await the return of our Lord Jesus Christ to take us to our forever home to be with Him!

Father, thank You for those who are patient with us! Help us to be patient.