Exercising Faith and Patience During Tough Times

This is the fifth post in a series on what the Bible teaches about patience. To read the prior posts, click the respective titles below.

Practicing Patience During Tough Times

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:12

Patience is developed through trials.

Yes, I know! It would be nice if there were an easier route, but there are no shortcuts to character development.

There have been days I woke up feeling like I was ready to win the award for patience on my side of the equator until I ended up on a phone call with customer service for an hour.

How would we know we are truly patient unless we experience circumstances that test our character? One synonym for patience is longsuffering, which some Bible versions use instead of patience (see Galatians 5:22 NKJV).

Therefore, patience involves persevering through hardship for a prolonged period while continuing to do what God has called us to and maintaining our faith and trust in Him.

We live in a fallen world, and none of us will escape facing one form of adversity or the other. God is not the author of evil (James 1:17). However, He may permit some circumstances in our lives so that we can grow up and mature. When we continue to trust God during suffering, we become mature, unruffled, and able to carry on with our lives with strength. We exhibit the character of Christ to the people around us, even while we are experiencing great difficulty, hardship, sickness, or unjust treatment.

Jesus is our example. He suffered for us and took it all patiently, even though He committed no sin. As His followers, we are called to follow in His footsteps as we await His return.

“For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps.” I Peter 2:20-21 NKJV

Multiple Scriptures teach us that there is great spiritual gain when we remain patient and persevere through suffering and adversity. Consider the five verses below.

5 Scriptures on Persevering During Tough Times

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance character; and character, hope.” Romans 5:3-4

^“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 1 Peter 1:6-7

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4

^“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:1-3

These Scriptures show that if we are grounded in patience, we will not fall apart, throw a pity party, and give up in adverse situations. Instead, as we face trials, we will:

Continue to do the work God has called us to do
Have an eternal perspective as we wait for Jesus’ return
Refuse to complain, murmur, or grumble
Avoid comparison
Practice gratitude
Remain joyful

Exercising Faith and Patience During Tough Times

As we journey through difficult seasons of life, we need to remember that faith and patience work together. Therefore, we have to patiently exercise faith in the Word of God to inherit God’s promises. After we have prayed and believed in God, our faith and character will be tested while we wait. The devil will do his part to rattle us into losing our faith, confession, and patience.

My health journey is the principal area of my life where I continue to learn and grow in patient endurance coupled with faith.

When I was a teenager and before I became born again, I was diagnosed with a medical condition that has considerably impacted my life.

After becoming a believer, my approach to walking in faith did not marry faith with patience. I wanted an immediate one-and-done miracle and became repeatedly distressed when things didn’t go my way and on my schedule.

I have learned and continue to learn that faith is a lifestyle.

Faith goes along with perseverance and patience. Faith is believing God and trusting His promises all the way, regardless of how I feel or what is going on.

Now, my outlook is to believe God’s Word on healing. God doesn’t lie (Numbers 23:19). I trust His promises to heal, uphold, and sustain me. Therefore, I receive His Word as healing to my body.

I do not always walk this out perfectly. When I falter, I pick myself up, return to the Word, and keep walking by faith.

I have decided to live by Hebrews 6:12, which states,

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

Practical Ways to Exercise Faith and Patience

As we wait for God’s promises to be fulfilled in our lives, we couple our faith with patience as we continue to:

Keep our eyes fixed on Jesus
Meditate on the Word
Allow the Word to change our thinking
Be quick to obey

So, my dear friend, are you facing a tough situation? If so, I leave you with this encouragement from the Word.

“Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised” Hebrews 10:35-36 NIV.

Did you catch that? You need to persevere and continue doing God’s will, and then you will inherit God’s promises!!

Footnotes

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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.

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