Be still before the Lord

In today’s instant culture we do not want to wait for anything. We get impatient all too soon and will not wait. Investors and entrepreneurs want immediate returns. Agriculturalists expect a quick harvest. All of society is looking for fast earnings.

Youngsters will not wait until marriage to indulge in sex. The married will not wait to sort out their marital disagreements and rush for separation.

Parents are impatient with the ways of their children. Grown-up children cannot be patient with their ageing parents. The list is endless. We are living in an impatient world, the consequence of which is unrest. To defeat this, we have the timeless advice from the Bible in Psalm 37:7 that reads, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.”

Patience is thus the key to live a deliberate and peaceful life. But what exactly is patience and what does it do to enrich our lives?

Patience can be defined as the will to wait without irritation, frustration or anger. It is the ability to tolerate any difficulty or delay in a composed manner. It enables us to let go of immediate gratification for delayed rewards.

With it we can experience a calm acceptance of what God wants to give and when He wants to give it in our lives.

No doubt, many of us do have patience to a greater or lesser extent. Nevertheless, the key to receiving God’s complete blessing is to grow in this virtue. Patience is absolutely necessary for a life of obedience to God. It is essential in persevering in prayer. With it we can trust in God’s plan for our lives, which is always better than our short-sighted and vain plans.

Again, patience is vital to any good relationship and in settling disputes amicably. It acts as a strong form of protection from impulsiveness. Above all, patience gives us time to think clearly and weigh the pros and cons of out actions.

Patience creates a sense of stability by empowering us to face the vicissitudes of life. It helps us to endure suffering with resignation. It is essential to contentment and a key attribute to success in life.

Most importantly, patience allows us to see God at work. Anyone who desires to see God working in his life thus ought to be “still before the Lord and to wait patiently for Him.”