Patience by John Nevins Andrews

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 8, 1864

Patience.

By John Nevins Andrews

This excellent grace can be acquired only in the school of experience. The lessons of patience are learned by experience in tribulation. Tribulation to a greater or less extent is an indispensable element in the Christian's life. "In the world ye shall have tribulation." But tribulation alone will not bear fruit to the glory of God. Submission to God that shall exclude all murmuring even in the heart, and faith in his promises that shall in the darkest hour sustain the troubled soul, these must unite their work with tribulation to produce in us the patience of the saints. It is the grace of God that can bring forth this fruit of the Holy Spirit in the hour of deep distress and anguish of soul. It is the lack of grace that makes it generally true that tribulation produces not patience but murmuring and rebellion against God.

How is it with those who read this article? Does patience have its perfect work? Or does tribulation cause the heart to rise in rebellion against him who chastens us?

J. N. A.