James 1: 2 – 4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

“Perseverance” is used in the NIV instead of “patience” which appears in the King James Version and rightly so because when we say to a child for instance “be patient” the child interprets that as “wait just another minute, you will get what you want.” Perseverance is the grown up version because the time factor is usually greater. For the believer, it is a life assignment.

When I was a child my mother had to wait at least 21 days to receive a letter from my father who had gone all the way to England for factory work to support us. We now live in an age of instant gratification. Now not only can we communicate instantly by email, text or phone but we can see the other party on Skype or similar media. So patience is taking a bad rap. Even on the highways, the “lead, follow or get out of the way” mentality is rampant. When I see the impatient and hostile conduct of some motorists, I often thank God that I don’t have to live with someone like that.

As believers we must constantly monitor our own conduct and measure it by the Word of God. It has a lot to say about perseverance because God’s time line for his fulfillment of purpose in our lives takes time.   Hence, there has to be a willingness to walk with God at his pace and not run ahead of him. Every time you do that you will trip and fall. So Paul urges us: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4: 6-7).   In times of trial, be courageous and wait patiently on the Lord. Persevere!