5 Reasons Why Having Patience & Waiting on the Lord is Important

By: Christi Given

5 Reasons Why Having Patience & Waiting on the Lord is Important

The word patience is something that is spoken about quite often, but doesn’t seem to sink in when we actually have to apply it in life. Why is it important to be patient and wait on God? The word “patience” is also known as, “long suffering.” No one wants to suffer or to wait, right? But God knows that it is a part of our lives and especially in faith building.

Here are 5 Reasons Why Having Patience & Waiting on the Lord is Important:

1.) Part of the waiting process is to build our trust in God.

If we got what we wanted the second we asked, there would be no need for faith or to trust in God. The journey of faith is a process and builds our character and likeness in Christ.

2.) Being patient teaches us to pro-long instant gratification.

In a society that demands instant access to the World Wide Web through the click of a button, and that tends to be a microwave society, patience can seem almost undesirable or foreign to us. Training ourselves in discipline can strengthen us in our walk. Learning to say no, can benefit us in the long run. Jesus was patient and is continuously patient with us and our shortcomings and we must have patience with one another. Being patient is not easy, but is a quality we should all desire to have.

3.) Patience Builds Up our Faith in God

Just like a parent, God knows when to bestow His blessings on us and when to say no. God knows how much we can handle and what we cannot handle at times in our lives. When we have to suffer long, we tend to lean into His presence more so, rather than when everything is going smoothly. Patience can help us lean into the Holy Spirit and develop more intimacy with God than if things are always going our way. Just like the Bible says, in Timothy 2:12, “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us.” Suffering is a part of life and in some cases waiting can be likened to “long suffering.”

God is not so much concerned in what we want, but what we need. The Lord doesn’t want us happy but rather holy. He wants us to always trust Him, to search His Word, and to enter His gates with thanksgiving regardless of our circumstances. God wants to sharpen you in your character and deepen your roots in Him. Growth is inevitable but can be painful. Growing pains are a part of the process of life and faith, but in the end are good for us. I hope that you can find comfort in this post, knowing you’re not alone and that we all have to wait at different times and seasons in life.

4.) Waiting on the Lord Renews Our Strength in Him

In Isaiah chapter 40, it talks about how we will renew our strength like the eagle when we wait on the Lord. His timing is not ours (Isaiah 55), and his ways our not our ways… God’s thoughts and ways are much higher than humans because He is eternal and created us. He knows what’s best for our lives.

5.) Patience is A Fruit of the Spirit

In Galatians, Paul writes about the fruits of the spirit. What does “fruit of the spirit” mean exactly? Well, it means the results of having the Holy Spirit, which is listed in Galatians chapter 5, verses 22-23. The Bible verse says,

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, PATIENCE, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” -Galatians 5:22-23

Do you have a renewed perspective of “patience” now? Comment below!