Examples of Patience
James 5:9-10 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged;
behold, the Judge is standing at the door.
10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers,
take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
behold, the Judge is standing at the door.
10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers,
take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
What prophets is he talking about? If you flip back to Hebrews 11, we’ll read about who these prophets are.
Hebrews 11:32-35a And what more shall I say?
For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets--
33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword,
were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.
35 Women received back their dead by resurrection.
For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets--
33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword,
were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.
35 Women received back their dead by resurrection.
That doesn’t sound bad! This doesn’t sound like grumbling and suffering! James says “examples of suffering” and this is what you’ve got?
Keep reading.
Keep reading.
Hebrews 11:35b-37 Some were tortured, refusing to accept release,
so that they might rise again to a better life.
36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.
37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword.
They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated--
so that they might rise again to a better life.
36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.
37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword.
They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated--
Now consider those guys. Before you begin saying, “Yeah, I’m destitute! I’m mistreated! That’s me! I’m like one of the prophets!” Why were they in this mess? Because they were declaring the word of the Lord. They weren’t suffering because of their own stupid decisions – and I’m not saying you are, but honestly most of our suffering is our own fault. We make stupid choices and then as soon as we get into trouble we hit our knees and starting saying, “Oh, God, if you’ll just get me out of this…” We’ll get into oaths in a minute, but that’s what we do sometimes.
How do we counteract grumbling? Because we’re impatient, and we’re going to start grumbling and complaining, because someone always has what we want, and the grass is always greener. Why can’t I have that, why can’t I be more like them, why do they have this, why don’t I have that? How do we counteract grumbling? With patience in our relationships.
How do we counteract grumbling? Because we’re impatient, and we’re going to start grumbling and complaining, because someone always has what we want, and the grass is always greener. Why can’t I have that, why can’t I be more like them, why do they have this, why don’t I have that? How do we counteract grumbling? With patience in our relationships.
James 5:11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast.
You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord,
how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord,
how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
Let’s just consider Job for a minute. Most of us have heard of Job, or the phrase “the patience of Job.” It comes from a book just before the book of Psalms in the Bible. You need to read it. You’re going to see a very, very successful business man, a very, very successful family man, a very, very successful friend. Sounds like he’s suffering, right? He loved God, he was a successful Jew, he was a landowner, had ten kids, had a great business. His wife was, unfortunately, less than encouraging.
God removed his hand of protection from Job and what happened – his kids died. Parents, just for a second let your mind go there. Not just one of his kids, all of them. Your heart just bottomed out. That is horrific.
Then on top of that, he lost his business, his wealth, his land. He lost everything except his faith. Ironically, I think as part of the suffering, he didn’t lose his wife. So he’s sitting there, just lost everything, and is in deep mourning trying to figure out what happened, and his wife, his life partner, his best friend, her best advice was, “Dude, cuss God out and let Him kill you.” Really? Really, hon? Thank you for being so helpful and encouraging. I’ll put that on the list, maybe we’ll circle back around to it.
Then he had friends show up and try to help him through it. Not so much. Job didn’t’ try to fight through it on his own, he didn’t catch himself in fright and not know what to do, he didn’t just give up and quit. Job had faith. As his heart and eyes were established and focused on God – I’m not saying he didn’t doubt and question – at the end, he always came back to, “Thus says the Lord.”
That’s what patience looks like. If you’re going to question, if you’re going to doubt, if you’re going to talk to your “release valve” friend and vent to them, at the end of the day they had better be leading you back to, “What’s the Lord saying? What’s the Lord doing? It’s all about Jesus, it’s not all about you.”
God removed his hand of protection from Job and what happened – his kids died. Parents, just for a second let your mind go there. Not just one of his kids, all of them. Your heart just bottomed out. That is horrific.
Then on top of that, he lost his business, his wealth, his land. He lost everything except his faith. Ironically, I think as part of the suffering, he didn’t lose his wife. So he’s sitting there, just lost everything, and is in deep mourning trying to figure out what happened, and his wife, his life partner, his best friend, her best advice was, “Dude, cuss God out and let Him kill you.” Really? Really, hon? Thank you for being so helpful and encouraging. I’ll put that on the list, maybe we’ll circle back around to it.
Then he had friends show up and try to help him through it. Not so much. Job didn’t’ try to fight through it on his own, he didn’t catch himself in fright and not know what to do, he didn’t just give up and quit. Job had faith. As his heart and eyes were established and focused on God – I’m not saying he didn’t doubt and question – at the end, he always came back to, “Thus says the Lord.”
That’s what patience looks like. If you’re going to question, if you’re going to doubt, if you’re going to talk to your “release valve” friend and vent to them, at the end of the day they had better be leading you back to, “What’s the Lord saying? What’s the Lord doing? It’s all about Jesus, it’s not all about you.”