The Trying of Your Faith Works Patience

I am sure that we are all familiar with the scriptures in James 1:2-4 (“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith works patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.): but, do we really understand what this really means?

What this is telling those who are brethren in Christ is: when you confess that you are truly a believer in Christ, God is going to put your faith in Him to a test; to see if you really trust Him. During the course of your testing period, you will be required to wait on Him until He manifests His promises. This term “wait” is referring to standing on His word, or attending His word. In other words, it means to be obedient unto the words in which He has spoken. These can be the written words in which are in the Bible, or words in which are spoken unto by those in whom He has given authority over you. You must learn to exercise patience, and stop getting in such a hurry if you don’t see the results immediately and thus error, by trying to fix the situation on your own. This is when you anger God, and also get out of the will of God.  The key is to obey the voice of God, and you can do this by learning to follow instructions from those who are in authority. Your patience and obedience determines your worthiness of the tasks in which you are given (Matthew 25:21…Well done thou good and faithful servant: you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: enter you into the joy of your lord).

Let us now explore this scriptural example: 1 Samuel 9:27; 10:8; 12:14-15 [And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on), but stand thou still a while, that I may shew thee the word of God… And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and shew thee what thou shalt do 1 Samuel 12:14-15 ¹⁴If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king that reigns over you continue following the LORD your God:  ¹⁵But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against your fathers.]

These were Samuel’s instructions to Saul. Now let us see Saul’s response.Top of FormBottom of Form 1 Samuel 13:7-14: ( ⁷And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.  ⁸And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. ⁹And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering.  ¹⁰And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him. ¹¹And Samuel said, “What hast thou done?” And Saul said, “Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou came not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; ¹²Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering”.  ¹³And Samuel said to Saul, “Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. ¹⁴But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded you”).

So you see the consequences of Saul’s disobedience to Samuel. Samuel was a prophet of God and therefore he was authorized by God to speak for Him, and when Saul disobeyed the instructions of Samuel, he was in actuality disobeying God’s instructions. This is why it is so very important that we learn to obey and respect those who are in authority over us. We might not always like them, nor agree with them, but we are commanded to obey them. If we choose not to, then we will be faced with the consequences. Let us therefore cease from being so impatient; and most of all stop looking at the circumstances that are surrounding us, and start listening to the voice of God. Believe in those who are in authority over you, and in so doing, God will manifest because you will have glorified Him by being obedient unto your superior. If your superiors need reprimanding, always remember that God sees all and knows all, and He chastises His own. Also remember that obedience is always better than sacrifice.

One final note to leave you with regarding patience: Isaiah 40:31 “But they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint”.  

Until Next Time,

God Be With You

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