Hebrews 6:12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

Everything we receive from God is pure grace – that is, we can’t really earn it – but we aren’t to be passive about it all, either. The two things that come out in this verse are faith and patient endurance. As I am frequently reminded, faith itself is a gift from God, but it must be exercised for it to grow. Some people choose to be “body build­ers,” but every Christian should be a “faith builder.” We grow in faith by choosing to trust God in the various circumstances of life. I have seen people who deliberately choose not to trust God on a specific issue, and the result is devastating to them. Of course, not everything works out as quickly as we would like, and that’s where the patient endurance comes in. Actually, if everything were instant, our faith wouldn’t grow much at all. Right at the end of the famous “faith chapter,” the writer points out that sometimes we don’t receive what we have been believing God for before we leave this world. (Hebrews 11:39-40) That can lead to a really mature faith, such as demonstrated by Job (Job 1:21, 2:10, 13:15) and Daniel’s three friends. (Daniel 3:16-18) And you don’t have to be physically old to have such faith. Daniel’s friends were no older than in their 20’s, and possibly younger. The important thing is the choice to trust and obey, whatever things look like to our minds and our senses. If we will do that, there is no limit to all that God will pour out on us.

I am very blessed that I was raised with the world view that faith is the smart choice, but that certainly doesn’t mean I haven’t been tested in the area of patient endurance! Like everyone else, I would like good things to happen immediately, but that is seldom the case. Looking back I can see that things indeed happened much faster than it felt like at the time, so that helps with patiently enduring whatever I’m going through at the moment. However, as a pastor I’m never satisfied with simply being blessed myself; I want the whole flock to be blessed. There have been too many who have not wanted to hear the message of “faith and patient endurance,” and they have not stayed the course. I would be the last to say that I have it all together myself, but by the grace of God I am to be leading the flock in the dual choice to trust and to obey. When we make that choice firmly, all the patient endurance we need will follow.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I am constantly presented with situations that I would like to move more quickly, but I have seen so many times that Your timing is perfect. Keep me from missing Your timing, either by rushing or by lagging behind. May I be faithful on a moment by moment basis, so that Your plans may be fulfilled on Your schedule, for the blessing of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!