Patience In Suffering

James 5

Patience in Suffering
7 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. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. 9 Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! 10 Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. 12 Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise, you will be condemned.

I remember a time when our lives took a crazy turn. Our family went from having both, our needs and wants taken care of, to having to teach our children the difference between needs and wants because we could only afford the needs.

I can recall our kids saying I just wish you could go back to work so everything can go back to normal. Our normal was stopping at the store and being able to buy whatever groceries we wanted without having to think about the cost. We were consumers. Purchasing sports equipment, household decor, and just about anything else we thought we could use.

We now lived in a smaller home and struggled to make ends meet. We were paying bills that had accumulated during doctor visits as a result of a car accident. We had to downsize to a two-bedroom house that was less than 1200 square feet. We made it work because we had to. Four children in one room and my husband and I in another. There was no room to move around, and there was no space that would allow peace by yourself. We were living with each other and always seemed to be right next to each other.

Patience in suffering gave us the best result that has been a lifelong blessing. Enduring this time of financial struggle and small living forced us into a more intimate atmosphere. We learned how to respect each other and take care of each other. We learned that life was too short to be angry, or save the “good stuff” for special occasions. We learned to appreciate each other.

Through those years of financial struggle, we learned what really matters in life is each other. We now live in a home where fighting is never an issue. We say “I love you” before bed and before we part ways in the morning. We give each other hugs and kisses before making a trip to the grocery store and running an errand because we know that we never know when our last moment on earth may be.

That temporary state of suffering, seemed like forever at the time. But it’s over now. And the endurance of those years has brought us closer than most families I know.

We can never understand or truly know what battle our neighbors are going through. Each experience is its own. I encourage you to stay strong and keep pushing through one day at a time. The victory on the other end is more than we can ever imagine.

Jeremiah 29:11 -“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. I encourage you to hang on to the hope because the future is much brighter than your today!