Patience
Patience is defined as the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset. Patience is never easy and it isn't always difficult, but what it teaches us and reminds us is that He is always in our favor.
Patience also becomes important even when it seems there are no immediate results because results take time. If you play a sport, or an instrument, or have an activity that you enjoy doing, chances are you have had to be patient throughout the process of you learning it. Mistakes had to be made in order for you to get to the level you are at now. The same thing applies to us as followers of Christ both old and new.
This can be shown throughout scripture :
Galatians 6:9 - Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Romans 8:25 - But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
The story of Caleb serves as an example of this.
We first meet Caleb in Numbers 13 working alongside Joshua when Moses sends 12 spies into the land of Canaan. During this time, they had just witnessed God's casting plagues across Egypt and the parting of the Red Sea. During this time, God's promise was to be fulfilled to Abraham and land was to be given to his descendants. However, when the spies went to look at the land, they came back afraid and doubtful after seeing giants among other creatures that made them fearful. Unlike the other spies who did not fulfill their duty, Caleb and Joshua did as they were not afraid of the giants. As a result of this, God became angry with the lack of faith in His chosen people and sentenced them to wander in the wilderness until the adults passed away. All except Joshua and Caleb because they demonstrated faithfulness and patience after wandering for 40 years as a result of the unfaithfulness of others.
This story demonstrates how not only patience leads to harvest, but how important being patient is while on our walk with Christ.
What are ways that you can demonstrate patience not only to others but to yourself this week?