PATIENCE by Charles Roads

Pacific Press Publishing Company · OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA · Jun 27, 1900

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 26, No. 26.

PATIENCE.

By Charles Roads

PATIENCE is the finishing touch of Christ-like character and services. It is the perfecting of all other good traits. There is a patience of faith in God which brings conquering power and unspeakable peace. There is a patience of love which is peculiarly divine and wonderful, and there is a patience of hope full of mighty inspiration. This patience is born of mighty tribulations and struggles and is so precious that no cost is extravagant for it.

Patience must be at every point of character building. This we get in trials and exercises. We learn to hold still in the hottest fire, and to acquire by practise a patient attitude towards all things. The terrible wear and tear of incessant irritability and ebullition of temper is no longer allowed. Great disappointments, bitter injuries and wrongs, no longer fire our passions, nor little annoyances fill our rest with thorns. We bring faith up to unwavering patience toward God and His exceeding great and precious promises; we develop courage until it is a steady fire and not a flash for the moment; we secure a hope which does not watch every cloud nor die with every thunder gust. To every point of character we give the foundation and polish of patience. And, letting patience have her perfect work, we may indeed become perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

Patience is power in working for God. We sow to-day and are delighted if we may reap to-morrow, but will not weary even if we reap not for years. Peter had three thousand souls saved after his great sermon full of the Holy Ghost, but Stephen, just as wonderfully baptized, had no immediate result except to be stoned to death. But Stephen had Saul of Tarsus for successor, and it is easy to read between the lines how marvelously he influenced Saul, tho it seemed not at all at the time. To win a soul for Christ is sometimes the work of years, and it is worth the toil of a lifetime. Fruit can not be unduly hurried without serious injury to it, and if it be too early gathered may be utterly worthless.

Patience in work, however, is simply continued and most persistent work. We are not idly waiting when we have Christlike patience. Patience is pluck, push, perseverance in perpetual motion. It is not a restraint upon activity but a powerful inspiration to more. It is not "down brakes," but "open throttle more." Christ is our sublime example in His ministry of such patience.

Patience is the right attitude under strange providences. What God does now we understand not, yet we will not believe it anything but supremely wise and right and good. We say to our bleeding hearts, "Patience!" and to our impulsive complaints, "Hush!" Our God is wholly good and wise. How He leads we may not discern, but that it is upward to light and power we patiently believe. What He has for us in life we see not, but that it is worthy of divine love we know.

Patience under persecutions. We have the prophets and apostles as glorious examples. How strange and cruel their reception by men! How dark their pathway for weary years! And how fierce the flames of their sufferings! But see their heroic patience. Here in the hustling, nervous nineteenth century there is greater need than ever of this beautiful and perpetual patience.—Dr. Charles Roads.