This week we thought we’d revisit one of our posts from 2020 … enjoy!
What most challenges your patience?
- Traffic jams?
- Rudeness in people?
- General delays within our “have it now” culture?
- The pandemic?
What if those challenges to our patience could help us find and utilize our true purpose?
Consider the biblical account of a woman named Anna.
In Luke 2:36-38 it says that 36 There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.[a] She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
We’re led to understand that Anna lost her husband at a very young age; just 7 years after they were married. Luke teaches us that Anna never left the temple but worshipped there day and night, fasting and praying. She encouraged others in her midst by speaking about the Christ child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
We can learn from Anna’s example in finding our true purpose and, in so doing, developing our own fruit of patience.
4 Things We Can Do While Waiting to Increase our Patience
- Worship
- Prayers of Intercession
- Fasting (yes, from food but also from temptations that ultimately slow our progress)
- Become an encourager
Anna didn’t just wait.
She applied the principles cited above and was transformed though the process.
Patience isn’t just about getting to the end; it’s about having our lives radically changed in the process.
With the story of Anna as our backdrop, let’s now consider Paul’s letter to the Philippians, as previously taught in a sermon by our very own Chris Brown.
(If you’d like to view this teaching in its entirety, you may do so by clicking on this link.
The following is an abbreviated and paraphrased transcript.
I think it does an amazing job of helping us to find our purpose and allowing ourselves to be changed while we “wait.”
Coupled with the earlier example of Anna, it is my hope that you will develop a greater sense of patience and experience meaningful growth as you find and develop your true purpose.
I also hope it doesn’t take 84+ years.
Some of the first things Chris reminds us of regarding Paul’s letter to the Philippians are:
- It was not written to us.
- It was written to believers in the Greek city of Philippi in the region of Macedonia.
- It was not written to us but it was written for
- Because the way God dealt with people then is how God deals with people today.
So if we are going to be able to live out our faith and use what Paul wrote then, we’re going to have to answer the questions, “Are we Philippian-type people?” And if so then, how is it that we can have a Philippian-type faith?
These are questions and answers we’ll explore in our next blog post.
Right here with you,
Terry