Let patience work

 

But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. – James 1.4

 

2020 has surely been a year of learning patience. We have waited to be able to travel. We have waited to be able to shop. We have waited to be able to go to church. We have waited on governments to tell us what we could and could not do.

 Most of us have experienced the need for patience when going through trials. They can seem to last forever. They are no fun. 

I remember the testing my little sister had to be put through when she was a baby. Her feet were turned in. Every night my parents had to put her feet in a brace that forced her fee to turn out. Actually, it was a pair of baby shoes tacked to a board in opposite directions.

She hated it.  My parents hated it. I hated it. I wanted to take them off when my parents turned away.

 But patience has a work to do. The work of patience is to mature and to get us ready for the next thing that comes along. As a result of the patience of that trial that Phyllis had to put with and the test of us learned to adapt to her walking problem was solved and her feet turned out fine. 

I could go and tell the story of a pastor’s little girl who was terribly burned in a fire and after dozens of surgeries was still disfigured but through it started a ministry to reach children who were disabled in various ways. I personally know of many examples about how trials bring patience and patience brings maturity.

 Counting trials as joy is a faith choice. It will never be easy, but God will strengthen us to do right and trust Him in those trials.