Working Patience

"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."
James 1:2-4

Far too often in this life of mine I find myself impatient and fearful, somehow forgetting the mercies and grace of the living God. He has promised me strength for the day, yet I doubt it when a challenge arises. Perhaps this challenge is something requiring that a certain skill be used to complete the task at hand. It may very well be that I am challenged to sin. Either way, it shames me that I allow fear to cloud my judgement, and cause me to stumble.

If Allowed, every temptation may conceive fearfulness, grief, and unmeasurable pain and embarrassment. It is rather interesting, however, that James would instruct that joy come forth in these times. Rather than fearfully considering the occasion, weighing the pleasures at hand and the pain of refusing such pleasure, and therefore allowing our lusts to conceive sin, James says to count it all joy. To be tempted and tried and suddenly be happy for the thing is certainly unnatural, and rightfully so because in being joyful and resisting our lusts we became patient with the matter. Here is the funny thing about patience, that when it increases it works the man unto perfection so that he wants nothing. While the natural man acknowledges lust, he knows only how to please it, bringing forth more lust, never to be satisfied. On the other hand the righteous man, in whom patience has worked, can resist the temptations brought forth by lust, therefore he has want for no thing You see, when patience works her perfect work it brings forth contentment and a resting upon the Lord. Let it be that we may keep our members subject to the unity of Christ for we are indeed bought with a price.

"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him."
James 1:12

"Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls."
James 1:21

Genesis 18:14

"Is anything too hard for the Lord?..."
Genesis 18:14a

Many people would rely upon this verse for the point of God's power, and justly so, however many of the same will never fully realize the truth of this verse. You see, some would try to twist this portion of God's Word to suggest that God would venture to fulfill their own lust. "Nothing is too hard for God," is far too often associated with something carnal, specifically desired by the individual who spoke it. This is not always the case,mind you. Many a time the righteous saints will look for the will of God to be done, and while patiently waiting upon the Lord, say,"This thing is not above God." What is the difference? Is it the sinner and the saint? Not hardly, for God may desire that even the most devout theologian not understand this fully. Many who have had the cloak of righteousness no doubt have and will utter this phrase concerning a fleshly matter that God may have decided differently upon. This is because children of God are growing at different paces at different times. God does not blanket his wisdom upon a people at one time, yet he grants it as he wills. The difference on this matter is not soul, no, it is the intent. Consider the context.

"Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son."
Genesis 18:11-14

It is unmistakable that nothing whatsoever is out of the hand of God and that nothing is out of his control. However we cannot deny that this verse is speaking directly to the will of God. God told Abram that a son would be born to him. When he and his wife were getting old with age they devised among themselves that they should take the words of God into their own hands. Sarai gave her handmaid, Hagar, to Abram for wife believing that perhaps this was the means of Gods promise. As we see, it was not so for God promised a seed to Abram through Sarai and as a part of this covenant he changed their names.

This was a matter completely of God and in his timing. Unfortunately, we grow impatient and fear that God is incapable of doing that which he promised. The man, whom some believe to be an angel and others the preincarnate Christ, said, "Sarah thy wife shall have a son." We see that Sarah laughed within herself at the very thought of her giving birth in her old age, even while God had promised it to be. We can assume that this doubt of the promise was set in due to the length of time between the promise and the fulfillment. Nevertheless this man reminded them that it was to be as God said and it did.

You see, there is no thing outside of Gods almighty power. However, he will not perform outside of his holy will. How foolish we are to attempt a work of our own inventions and dare to call it a work of God. Sarai believed that the promise was sure to be through her handmaid seeing how she herself was barren. This very work, however, was not the seed by which God established his covenant. That would come through Sarah, and yet she laughed at the very word, fearfully forgetting the covenant.

"Is any thing too hard for the Lord?" I say nay, but let our desires and patience be toward the Lord and his holy will, regardless of our fear and impatience.