In the beginning of each year I think we all tend to look back – and look forward. Not only do I do this personally, but as I look at Community Bible Church I do this too – maybe you do too.

Personally as I look back over 2010 I see much to be thankful for – 3 grandchildren – God’s work in my life (much of that because of you) – a growing sense that much of my God-given time and resource not being used as it should. It is important to look at what didn’t go well in order to improve.

As I look at CBC during 2010 I also see much to be thankful for – and many of these good things have been experienced during struggle. As you know over the last 3 years we have received a great deal of God’s kindness through struggle. This morning, while I could talk about the many encouraging things I think God is doing here I’d like to mention one thing that stands out to me. And then I’d like to encourage us for 2011.

Many have been patiently faithful. One of the great things that I am learning is that God teaches through adversity.  If we always flee when adversity strikes we will not see God’s faithful had in transforming the difficult into the good.

PATIENCE

Two Greek words are translated as “patience”: μακροθυμέω (James 5:7) – patience with people. The second word, ὑπομονή – patience as it relates to adversity or one’s situation.

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.

Galatians 5:22 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Ephesians 4:1–3 – I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, ² with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³ eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Colossians 3:12 – Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,

The second word, ὑπομονή – patience as it relates to adversity or one’s situation.

Luke 8:15 – As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

Colossians 1:11–12 – May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, ¹² giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

The thing that stands out to me is the many here who are – in patience – waiting for God. Faith must produce patience because you are trusting the Great Sovereign to bring about his plan in his time.

Patience – The quality of forbearance and self-control which shows itself particularly in a willingness to wait upon God and his will. Believers are called upon to be patient in their expectations of God’s actions, and in their relationships with one another.¹

Patience carries with it an understanding that another path could have been taken.

Impatience is a form of unbelief. It’s what we begin to feel when we start to doubt the wisdom of God’s timing or the goodness of his guidance. It springs up in our hearts when the road to success gets muddy or strewn with boulders or blocked by some fallen tree. The battle with impatience can be a little skirmish over a long wait in a checkout lane. Or it can be a major combat over a handicap or disease or circumstance that knocks out half your dreams.

The opposite of impatience is not a glib, superficial denial of frustration. The opposite of impatience is a deepening, ripening, peaceful willingness either to wait for God where you are in the place of obedience, or to persevere at the pace he allows on the road of obedience—to wait in his place, or to go at his pace.²

WAITING ON GOD

Psalm 27:14 – Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

Psalm 31:23–24 – Love the Lord, all you his saints! The Lord preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride. ²⁴ Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!

Psalm 33:20 – Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.

Psalm 37:7–9 – Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! ⁸ Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. ⁹ For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.

Psalm 37:34 – Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off.

Psalm 38:15 – But for you, O Lord, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.

Psalm 40:1 – I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.

Psalm 62:5 – For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.

Psalm 130:5 – I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope…

Proverbs 20:22 – Do not say, “I will repay evil”; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.

Isaiah 8:17 – I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him.

Isaiah 26:8 – In the path of your judgments, O Lord, we wait for you; your name and remembrance are the desire of our soul.

Isaiah 30:15 (NET) – For this is what the master, the Lord, the Holy One of Israel says: “If you repented and patiently waited for me, you would be delivered; if you calmly trusted in me you would find strength, but you are unwilling.

Isaiah 30:18 – Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.

Isaiah 40:31 – but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

“Waiting for the Lord” is an Old Testament way of describing the opposite of impatience. Waiting for the Lord is the opposite of running ahead of the Lord and it’s the opposite of bailing out on the Lord. It’s staying at your appointed place while he says stay, or it’s going at his appointed pace while he says go. It’s not impetuous and it’s not despairing.³

BIBLICAL PATIENCE IS VERY IMPORTANT

HOW WE ARE PATIENT IS VERY IMPORTANT

Philippians 2:14–17 – Do all things without grumbling or questioning, ¹⁵ that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, ¹⁶ holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. ¹⁷ Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.

1 Peter 1:8–11 – Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, ⁹ obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. ¹⁰ Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, ¹¹ inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.