As I was reading through the book of Colossians a month ago, I ended up camping out on 3 verses. At that time, I was praying and dreaming about sharing something on my blog space for the season of advent and then the Holy Spirit dropped these 4 terms from these 3 verses onto my heart. They have encouraged and inspired me and I hope they do the same for you as we take this short advent journey together.
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
Colossians 3:12 – 14 // The Bible
The Bible is full of examples and stories of men and women who exercised patience along their journey of faith. In the book of Genesis we find the account of Abram, who later became known as Abraham, who is one of these men of faith who chose to walk the patient road, fully reliant and dependent on the God of promise and the God who promised that he would be the father of many nations. However, when God spoke that word to him, his wife was not pregnant and when it seemed completely unlikely and almost impossible, God kept and came through on his promise, and when Abraham was about 100 years old he became the father to Isaac, and therefore the father to many nations. It was through faith and patience that Abraham inherited this promise.
Dictionary.com defines patience as “an ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay.” And how many of us are faced with delays or postponements or cancellations of dreams, plans or desires that we have longed, planned, prayed and prepared for? I know for myself, that it’s a daily struggle and I’ve realised that not only is patience the ability to suppress restlessness or annoyance when faced with delays, but it is the willingness to do so. It’s the choice to step aside, let the delay run its course, and continue with a quiet and steady perseverance. And nobody said it’s easy!
I am also convinced that patience is about being kind to ourselves. It is allowing ourselves to feel the disappointment. It’s enabling ourselves to take a moment to count the cost of delay. It’s giving ourselves permission to remove expectation (whether our own or those of others), to take a deep breath and to just be. It’s encouraging ourselves to see how far we have come and to be proud of ourselves despite the delays. 1 Corinthians 13 puts it so beautifully, “Love is patient. Love is kind.” Maureen Schaffer explained it so practically that if we can be patient, we will show kindness. And if we can be kind, we will respond in patience. And I think we are worth the effort of being patient and kind with ourselves!
As we come to the end of this crazy year where everything has been delayed. Everything has not gone as planned. Everything has been turned upside down. Everything has been a cause for restlessness and annoyance. Dreams have been put on hold. Desires have been dashed. Patience has definitely been stretched. BUT we have a living hope, who has not and does not change. One who is not affected by circumstance or Covid-19. And the one who we long for in anticipation during this season of advent. Jesus is the ultimate example of patience too and it is with willingness that I long to clothe myself with patience this advent and Christmas season. Not because I have to, but because I am his chosen one, his beloved. Let’s put on patience not just because we are able to suppress restlessness and annoyance when faced with delays, but because we are willing to.
Have a wonderful 3rd Sunday of Advent!
xxx
hope of heart 