James 5:7-8 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. (8) You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

One of the most challenging character traits for me is patience. When I buy my wife a gift for her birthday I always give it to her early because I can not wait for her to receive it. When I am working on a project I often jump ahead a few steps just to see a glimpse of what the finished product might look like. Patience is often difficult and the more we need it, the more the Lord gives us opportunities to exercise it.

When it comes to the things of the Lord, we are not able to rush ahead. God has a purpose and a plan for each of our lives and the fruit of patience will not come a minute sooner or later than He has already established. James uses the example of the farmer in these verses. He waits for the early and late rains. He doesn’t harvest until the right moment. Just as the farmer waits for the fruit of the harvest, we are to be patient, waiting on the coming of the Lord.

That doesn’t imply that we are to sit around and do nothing. The farmer is required to till the land, sow the seed, pull the weeds, and harvest the crop. As we wait patiently on the coming of the Lord, we too should be busy about the Fathers business. Reading the word so our minds are sharp, sowing seeds of evangelism, confronting the false teachers and the wolves among us, and preparing for the day of great harvest.

If you are lacking patience, ask God for it, He will grant you opportunities this week to learn patience. If you are being patient, waiting on the Lord, are you moving forward in your walk with Him or simply sitting still doing nothing? God has called each one of us to be active in our faith. The book of James makes it clear that maturity in the faith comes from exercising it in our relationship with others. The coming of the Lord is at hand, are you ready for it?

Prayer

Lord, help me to be patient. Help me to not just sit and wait, but to be active in my walk with you and share the love you have for the world everywhere I go. Thank you for the gift of eternal life with you. Amen.