"Be patient, then, brothers, until The Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because The Lord's coming is near. Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of The Lord. As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what The Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy." James 5:7-11 (NIV)
James was encouraging the people to be patient, not just with the trials and tribulations of life, but to be patient with each other. Things will happen in God's due time. Pain and suffering are a part of living. Those who had gone on before them had suffered, persevered, and were blessed. He reminded them of Job and what he went through, and how God blessed him.
Most of us are very impatient people. We want what we want, and we want it right now. We need to develop patience. Some of the things that we go through are part of our preparation and development, so that God can use us. Personal growth takes time. We also need to recognize that others also need time to learn and grow. We need to be patient with, and to pray for, others as they learn and grow. All of us can say, "We are a work in progress, be patient with us, God is not finished with us yet."
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