“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.” 2 Peter 1:2–7
Temperance leads to patience. If you are not temperate, taking good care of your health, you will have a very difficult time being patient. There are many angry people in the world. It has been shown that meat eating makes people more aggressive, like carnivorous animals; at the same time while a vegetarian diet is said to support a calmer life, unless the law of being temperate is practiced (being one of the eight laws of health), it also amounts to difficulty in being patient. Therefore, we need to be temperate in all areas of health, which includes eating only healthy foods so, we can be calm like the herbivorous animals. God wants His children to be very calm in every situation in life, like our Lord and Saviour was, even when He was before the Roman court. In addition, since this is one of the fruit of the Spirit, only through connecting with Christ is it truly possible to be temperate.
Two young people, Richard and Sharon, have been married for over nine years, without children. They stayed with each other and hoped that they would have a child before their 10th anniversary, because they were being persuaded by family and some friends to get a divorce. However, they refused to let go because of the love between them. Months passed by and while Richard was returning from work one day, he saw his wife walking down the road with a man, and they looked very happy. Another evening, while Richard was coming back from work, he saw the same man drop her off at the house. Richard became angry and sad. Two days later, after a hectic day at work, Richard was pouring some water into his cup from a glass jug when the phone rang. He picked it up and the person said “Hello dear, I will be coming to your house this evening to see you as promised. I hope . . . .” and then Richard hung up the phone. It was a male voice. He was sure the person was the man he had seen with his wife a few days ago. He suddenly became shaky with this thought, “Have I lost my wife to another man?” At that point, the glass jug fell from his hand and shattered into pieces. Then Sharon came running into the room asking, “Is everything okay?” In anger he gave his wife a push and she fell. She was not moving or trying to get up. Richard then realized that she fell where he had broken the glass jug, and a large piece of glass had pierced her. He felt her breath, pulse, and heartbeat but there she lay lifeless. His wife was dead. In total confusion, he saw an envelope in her hand. He took it, opened it, and was shocked by its content. It was a letter and it read:
“My loving husband, words cannot express how I feel, so I had to write it down. I have been going to see a doctor for over a week and wanted to be sure before I give you the news. The doctor confirmed that I am pregnant with twins and our babies are due seven months from now. The doctor also happens to be my long-lost brother whom I lost contact with after our marriage. He has promised to take care of me and our babies and give us the best care without collecting a dime. He also promised to have dinner with us tonight.
Thank you for standing by me all this while.
Your loving wife,
Sharon.”
As the letter fell from Richard’s hand, there was a knock at the door and it was the same man he had seen with his wife. He said, “Hello Richard, I suppose I am right? I am John, your wife’s brother.” Suddenly, he noticed his sister in the pool of her blood. He rushed her to the hospital but it was too late; his sister, Richard’s wife, was gone and so were the twins.
What is this story teaching us as believers? In our relationships with God, which also include our marriages, we should not be too quick in reacting when we have not spoken with God, our spouse, friends or relatives regarding what we saw or heard about them. Communication, trust, and patience are rare gifts that we must bring into all our relationships. Not everything we see, hear, or believe is right about them. And to every man or woman reading this article, I pray that patience will have her perfect work in you and you will want nothing; because patience is that great virtue you need to keep any relationship working. “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:2–4
God commands, and expects, His children to be patient in everything. “Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.” Daniel 10:12–13
Daniel patiently waited for 21 days for the answer to come. Without patience we cannot receive blessings from God. If Richard had been patient and asked his wife about the gentleman he saw, it would have been a different situation altogether; by now he would be enjoying life with his wife and the twins. Often we dishonour God when we are impatient. As a believer, we should not try to run ahead of God; everything on earth has its time and season.
“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door. Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.” James 5:7–11
We need to be patient to see the second coming of the Lord. Job was patient enough to wait for God’s time; Paul was patient in his ministry to teach and train other workers or missionaries under him; Daniel was patient for the promise concerning his people to be fulfilled; Joseph patiently waited for God to vindicate him from all his trouble in the Land of Egypt; Abraham and Sarah were patient until God blessed them with Isaac, the child of promise; Our Lord Jesus Christ was patient in all His ministry on earth, from birth to adulthood. He was patient, even unto the cross, where He purchased salvation for mankind.
As believers, we have so many things calling on our attention but we have to be firm and strong, and with patience overcome the world. “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.” Hebrews 12:1
“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:12
“He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.” Revelation 13:10
“Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings.” 2 Corinthians 6:3–5
Ebrima John Jaiteh
The Gambia