Monthly Archives: January 2021

How many of you, when you sit down for supper, like a nice cold drink with ice? If you are like me, ice makes my drinks taste better. Why is that? For me, it’s because the cold temperature feels just right.  Even if some of you don’t, many of you might like some drinks cold better than warm, right? I mean who likes a glass of warm orange juice, or a warm ice cream cone?

Allow me to probe a bit more. Do you guys have an ice maker in your fridge at home? Ice makers are great be­cause they’re always making new ice without us ever having to do anything. On the other hand, how many of you use ice trays? If your fridge doesn’t have an ice maker, you can use an ice tray instead. Ice trays are pretty simple. Each one has all these little pockets that you fill with water. Then you place it in the freezer, and in a few hours, you have some nice ice cubes.

While the ice maker produces ice more quickly, if you don’t have one, you have to be patient in waiting for ice that’s made in an ice tray. Especially on a hot day, you will wait for the ice cubes to freeze because they are worth it. Waiting requires patience.

What is patience? According to Wikipedia, “patience is the ability to endure difficult circumstances” or to wait for something that you want right now. It is a gentle, long-suffering attitude. “Patience may involve perseverance in the face of delay; tolerance of provocation without responding in disrespect/anger; or forbearance when under strain, especially when faced with longer-term difficulties.”[1]

Many things in life require patience. Sometimes it’s hard to wait for the end of the school day, isn’t it? Or maybe we can’t wait for the weekend. Some of us may find it hard waiting for our favorite sports season, or phone call about a job. How about growing up? How many of you could not wait to be old enough to drive but now wish you did not have to drive? How many cannot wait for this pandemic to be over and wish we knew when that would happen?

The Bible teaches us that we need to learn patience. “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Colossians 3:12, NIV). It also tells us that ‘The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9, NIV).

God is patiently working to save each person. He has endless patience because He wants you and me to be saved from sin. God’s patience is like a stretched rubber band. We do wrong, over, and over and over again like the constant stretching of this rubber band but God doesn’t snap. Even when we stretch his compassion like this rubber band that is stretched to its full limit, he remains patient with us. God really is longsuffering. That means he has better and more patience than anyone else. Aren’t you glad? I know I am!

But how are we when God allows circumstances that stretch our faith? We don’t like this, as our inclination is to keep things safe and comfortable. Whatever God wants to do in your life, requires stretching.  Stretching is uncomfortable but through that process, God will take us to places where we can’t go by our ability, where our money isn’t enough, and where our intelligence hits its ceiling, so He gets the glory. Too often we’re in control of too many things and because of this we block God from doing what He can and needs to do.

So, the next time you feel impatient, remember the ice tray, and remember the rubber band. Let’s be patient throughout this pandemic. God is in charge and this too shall pass. Our faith will also be stretched also but God will see us through. “But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded” (2. Chronicles 15:7, NIV). Remember, good things come to those who wait or can wait.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patience

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