What Does the Text Say?
"Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near." - James 5:7-8 (ESV)
What Does the Text Mean?
We are reminded in these verses that, just as a farmer must patiently wait for the rains to come and his crops to grow, we too must be patient and trust in God's timing. I try to plant a garden every year. This year we put in the work to expand our garden. Gardening always allows me to see a seed go from just that a seed to a living plant. This requires a lot of patience. As I wait to see the sprouts the seed is transforming. It is growing, becoming a plant, expanding, and growing roots. They soak up the sun rays, water, and nutrients provided to thrive. As Christians, we are provided with the Word of God. If we soak in His Word, we will grow deep roots and thrive!
How Does the Text Apply to Us? As believers, we are called to cultivate the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives. One part of that fruit of the Spirit is patience. Patience is not just about waiting for something to happen, but it's about having calm endurance in the face of difficulties.
In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to get frustrated and lose our patience. We want everything to happen instantly, and we often forget that God's timing is not our timing. However, when we learn to trust in God's timing, we can develop patience and have a deeper trust in His plan for our lives.
When we are patient, we are demonstrating our faith in God's promises. We know that He is working all things together for our good, even when we don't see it. It's important to remember that God's timing is perfect, and we can trust Him to fulfill His promises in His perfect timing.
So let us cultivate the fruit of patience in our lives. Let us trust in God's timing and have faith that He is working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28). As we wait patiently, we can be assured that the Lord is near and that His promises will be fulfilled in His perfect timing.
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