Patience | AdventAI

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 12, 1863

Patience.

“Let patience have her perfect work.” In this as in other things, the Bible fixes our standard for us. Let a subject requiring patience never be dismissed, until the question be asked, “Has patience had her perfect work?” There are many incentives to the acquisition and culture of this Christian grace. It is by the “patient continuance in well-doing that the seekers for glory, honor and immortality, obtain eternal life.” It is through faith and patience that we inherit the promises. It is by patience even, after having done the will of God, that his word is manifestly fulfilled to us. Behold we count them happy who endure. That calm unmurmuring endurance of toil, pain, provocation, and the varied evils of this mortal state, does more to sweeten the mixed cup which is put to our lips than anything else that might be named. Our suffering for righteousness' sake,—quiet, patient, suffering, is declared acceptable to God.

The inspired penman had weighty reasons for exhorting us to run with patience the race set before us—reasons which greatly concern our well-being here, and which have far greater bearing upon the extent of our bliss in the next world than we are wont to suppose.—Sel.