July 23: Patience in Suffering

 

Theme: Waiting On God's Timing

Chrysta Bevans,
George Town SDA Church

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. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. - James 5:7-8

 

Patience can feel like a quiet ache. Not loud. Not dramatic. Just steady. Waiting, when everything in you is tempting you to move forward; to act, speak or do something prematurely. 

 

I remember a moment that recently tested my patience in a way that I did not expect. I had just arrived at JFK airport after an 8-hour flight from Europe. Exhausted, I found myself patiently waiting for my connecting flight, only to receive the notification that my connecting flight had been canceled. Immediately, a line of upset passengers swarmed to speak to the flight agents. 

 There I was, tired, frustrated, and thrown off course. Waiting in line seemed like such a small inconvenience on paper, but in the moment, it felt like everything was spinning out of control. My plans, my schedule, my comfort was all placed on pause. And I literally had no choice but to wait.

 That waiting space where we do not have the answers, where we do not see movement. That is exactly where God does some of his deepest work. 

 We see this in the story of Hannah. She longed for a child for years, praying with tears and fasting, misunderstood even by the priest. Yet Hannah remained patient. She brought her pain to God. In due time God answered. Not just with a Child but with Samuel, a prophet who would anoint kings. Her suffering was not wasted. Her waiting was not in vain. 

 Hannah reminds us that patience is not just about enduring. It is about enduring with faith. It is choosing to keep our hearts soft while we wait for the autumn and spring rains that James talk about. Whether it is waiting on healing, answers, peace of just a flight to finally board- God honors patience that trusts in His timing. 

 Waiting is not easy, and it is okay to acknowledge that. But even in the silence or setbacks, you can choose to trust that God is at work. Like Hannah, you can continue to bring your heart to him, even without clear answers. Your season of waiting is not wasted. God is growing something deep within you that will bear fruit for His perfect time. 

 Prayer: 

Lord, give me the strength to practice patience. Teach me to trust you when things feel delayed, canceled or unclear. Help me to be like Hannah, who kept bringing her here to you in her suffering. Let my patience be rooted in faith, knowing