1
TIMOTHY 6:11
THE
PURSUIT OF PATIENCE
But
thou, O man of God, flee these things;
and follow after righteousness, godliness,
faith,
love, patience, meekness.
Another word for patience is “constancy” which according to
Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language means:
Fixedness
or firmness of mind; persevering resolution; steady, unshaken determination;
particularly applicable to firmness of mind under sufferings, to steadiness in
attachments, and to perseverance in enterprise. Lasting affection; stability in
love or friendship.
Patience as applied to Timothy
here could be any or all of the following: 1) perseverance under trials and
persecution, 2) unshaken determination to combat false teachers by presenting
the truth of the gospel, and/or 3) patience or longsuffering toward those
believers entrusted to his care as pastor. Believers today need that same type
of patience.
People who assist with my care
must have the third type of patience, the longsuffering of dealing with my
earth-suit and all of its proclivities. I have hyper-nerve sensitivity which
makes even clipping and filing my finger nails a test of one’s patience. Mother
Theresa and Job would even have a difficult time with my nails. I have been
blessed with people who did not give up on me when I would say, “slow, slow,
slow” every time they turned me even though they had done it hundreds of times.
(They tell me I’m much better about that one now.) The brothers and sisters in
Christ who transfer me into my power chair and back into bed sometimes have to
wait several minutes for me to grab my wild left arm with my right hand before
they can move me. I am thankful these believers have pursued patience and found it!
We all need to follow after
patience. Patience toward our brothers and sisters who may have annoying traits
or are not understanding something that is clear to us. Patience when we suffer
trials knowing that they serve to make us stronger in the Lord. Patient hope as
we await the return of our Lord Jesus Christ to take us to our forever home to
be with Him!
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