“For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” Hebrews 10:36

Waiting is defined as- the action of staying where one is or delaying action until a particular time or until something else happens. I recall the analogy of two individuals waiting for the bus to arrive one morning. On arrival at the bus stop, one rider checked his schedule, sat on the bench, and proceeded to read a book. The second rider checked his watch and became quite annoyed. He began to pace up and down the sidewalk. He ranted on about how unreliable the bus service was and that he would certainly be late for work if the bus did not come soon. After approximately ten minutes of this behavior the rider was sweating and extremely irritated. The first rider remained calm and looked down the street and saw the bus approaching, he stood and as the door of the bus opened, he kindly greeted the driver and stated, “I see that you’re right on time!”

We all have to wait for numerous things in our lives. The moral of the analogy is how we choose to wait in the meantime. We can wait patiently or impatiently. Our choices make an immense difference in our mental and physical well-being. Patience means that we can endure, tolerate, and preserve in the midst of  things that we have absolutely no control over.

The early Jewish Christians were admonished to continue in their allegiance to Christ. They had already come through suffering and much hardship to that present time; consequently, they could hold on to their faith and wait for the promise of the Lord’s return. F.B. Meyers wrote, “Don’t miss the harvest of your tears.”  In other words, he was saying do not throw away your trust when your reward is so near, all the things that you have endured up to this very moment should only strengthen you. “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” Hebrews 10:36

Today we must wait patiently for the Lord’s promises and imminent return. We do not have to rant or frantically pace up and down. We have the assurance by faith that our redeemer lives and will return again soon. So, we must pray for patience to endure this Christian race empowered with strength and grace. Hebrews 12:1 state “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,”

And as God’s beloved children, we do not wait as one without hope, but we wait on the faithful promised reward. “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”Hebrews 5:3-5.

May God grant us the peace, patience and the strength to endure the trials and tribulations of this life…for we walk by faith and not by sight…holding on to the One who loves us and has promised brighter days ahead!  “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9.

Stay encouraged…God is working things out behind the scenes!