The Patience of the Saints.
By Charles Lee
THE remnant people of God possess, in connection with the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, “the patience of the saints.” This precious quality, which God alone, being himself “the God of patience” (Rom. 15:5), can impart, qualifies God’s people for a sacred observance of his holy law, and fits them to walk in the footsteps of their blessed Saviour. All the trials and troubles which a soul that loves God is subject to tend to develop patience. The person who calmly and contentedly bears all trials that may come, small or great, with a trust in God for victory, never fails to obtain a peaceful and comforting blessing of God; and with that blessing the soul hopefully and carefully goes onward to develop the love of God. Time passes on and new and severe trials come up, but patience bids them all welcome. Friends may turn away, disease and suffering take hold of the entire being, death show itself in all its dreadful colors, but patience holds out her arms to receive all these afflictions without murmuring. The enemy’s stronghold in destroying souls is to rob them of this most important quality. The mind of the worldling is acted upon by exciting scenes and stirring speculations. The nominal Christian is satisfied with pleasing ceremonies and a religious garb, which captivate the eye by a brilliant appearance. Highly ornamented churches, popular and eloquent preaching, and sweet music, give them, from time to time, a foretaste of their imaginary Heaven. Such persons have no use for “the patience of the saints,” and they also give unmistakable evidence that “the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus” are of but little value to them. The earnest truth-seeker, whenever he loses hold of the eternal Rock of his salvation, finds that it is at the time when patience fails him. As he passes through fiery trials, brought about in God’s providence to cleanse him from impurities, the enemy presents to the mind those trials to come from such sources that others are to blame for them, and he becomes irritable and a feeling of discontent takes possession of the mind, and patience gets her discharge, and fretfulness and uneasiness take her place. Oh, what foul enemies have now entered patience’s work-shop! All their manufacturings are poisonous to the soul, and a bitter gall to others. The Spirit of God cannot unite with these workmen, and faith pines away, till finally by hypocrisy or infidelity it is entirely destroyed. How timely are the Saviour’s words: “In your patience possess ye your souls.” The past year has brought to me many and severe trials which have tried my soul to the utmost. In reflecting over them all I can now see where I have failed. I have forgotten the advice of the apostle: “Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptation; 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. I realize my loss, and will turn to God with a prayerful heart for pardon of my sins, and for grace to henceforth cultivate this noble and most important quality—Patience.