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Patience Or Passion

Have you ever wondered about the course of Christianity today? Has it ever come into your mind the thought that something is definitely missing? Something is drastically missing in many people's lives. Missing. Lacking. From the pulpit to the pews something is definitely missing.


Now, don't misunderstand me - perhaps in your local church you are not experiencing this feeling. But there are many other churches and individuals who fit this description.

Why is this so? Well, today's verse deals with letting patience have her way. When she does, there is no lack.

James 1:4 - "But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."

"Let patience have her perfect work" - This implies that our wills are involved.

Let patience.
Permit patience.
Don't stop her in what she is doing.
Do nothing to limit her or weaken her.

Can she be limited? Certainly! She can be obstructed in her influence on our souls by our complaining, murmuring, or rebellion while undergoing trials.

Therefore, let Patience and not Passion have her way. Let her do the working and the talking. Silence all Passion that would resist and contend. Patience has a work to do. She has a desired goal. She wants to produce an appropriate effect on our souls.

How do we know when she has had her perfect work? We can generally know it when we bear all that God appoints for us as long as He appoints it with a humble, quiet, and obedient spirit.

Let Patience or Let Passion - When we are undergoing trials, we have a choice. We can succumb to one or the other.

Passion will have us fighting, bickering, complaining, murmuring, and fussing. It will have us screaming out in our flesh - "I don't like this. I don't have to go through this. I don't want this in my life. Get me out of this situation now!"

Whereas, Patience will have us quietly surrender in absolute submission and humility, totally confident that God is in control and knows what He is doing in our lives.

One important thing to remember - God may sometimes cut the trial short if we feel that we cannot stand the heat. However, know this of a surety, that that same trial is coming back again for a visit. So, it is best to take the heat, and let Patience have her perfect work. Don't cut the trial short with murmuring. If we do, we will find ourselves like Israel going around the same mountain again starting all over at point A.

"That ye may be perfect and entire" - The word "perfect" here refers to the body being perfectly sound, having no disease. The word "entire" means whole in every part, nothing deficient.

Patience desires that we be complete in all respects. She desires to furnish us with all that is necessary to run the race set before us and fight the good fight of faith. She desires to see us persevere to the end and make it to our glorious goal - the presence of Jesus for all eternity in Heaven.

"Wanting nothing" - Patience desires to see us lagging behind in nothing, inferior to nothing, and destitute of nothing.

So, why not "let patience have her perfect work..."?

It involves a choice on our part.

Will we succumb to Patience or Passion?

The result will either be success or failure.
It will be the difference between a Christian walk that is stable, steadfast, constant, unmovable or one that is unstable, always changing and wavering as the waves of the sea, and emotionally up and down like a roller coaster ride.

Perhaps this is the reason why there is something lacking in many churches and Christians today. As insinuated, many are motivated by Passion and not Patience.

Passion will always cut us short.
Patience will never leave us lacking in any thing.

How does this study relate to where you are at in your walk with the Lord?
Are you generally moved by Passion or Patience?

Do you have a testimony of how Patience had her perfect work in a recent situation?
Do not hesitate to testify for the Lord.
You never know how your experience can help someone else in their walk with Jesus.


May God Bless His Word.
Connie

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