Lesson 14: Response to suffering – patience
James 5:7-10 (ESV)
7 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.
8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.
10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

We’ve already talked about patience in this study, how patience is one of the most important things to building strong faith.

In this lesson, let’s see how responding to suffering with patience is something we can learn. For example, when I have a bad cold, I quickly tire of the pressure in my head, the cough, the fever, the constantly-running nose, and so on. I am very impatient and want all these uncomfortable things to be over so I can get on with my usual life. But is it possible that sometimes God allows me to catch a cold so I slow down from all the busy things in my life and just have time to come sit at His feet a while and listen to what He wants to say to me? Am I patient for the things He says to me I might call “important” but impatient when He just wants to chat with me? How long has it been since He put a rose on my path and I stopped to pick it up and just enjoyed its beauty and fragrance with Him for a while?


A challenge to you the next time you are suffering – whether in physical pain because of some illness, or emotional pain because someone has betrayed you or a loved one has died, or mental pain because you are just too tired and discouraged to go on – go somewhere you can be alone for at least an hour. Take your Bible with you and begin reading (I suggest to you read either Psalms or anything in the New Testament) and just read until God stops you with a surprise at something you’re reading. Explore whatever surprised you with Him, read it over and over, asking Him to show you from it and other verses like it what He wants you to see and understand. Practice the patience of sitting at His feet and learning from Him as you just chat with Him for this time.

*What treasure did you mine from God’s Word when you took the challenge above?
*How does this encourage you to spend more time sitting at Jesus’ feet? When will you meet with Him again?