What Are Four More Days?

Six months ago a friend of mine started a project, on my behalf.  It should have only taken two days at the most, a simple task for a man of his ability.  However as the project was completing, complications arose.  Through no fault of my friend, parts were defective, pieces were broken.  All of this was a little frustrating, but no real problem, because after all, “one just gets some different pieces, puts them in and it’s done.”  However, the simple and easy plan rarely goes that way.  The parts were found not to be under warranty, the whole project would need to be completely redone, including taking apart the original work.  Furthermore, replacement pieces were not available, at least not at reasonable rates.  I wanted to yell, scream and “straighten out” a couple of people.  Six months after the start of the project, I was still waiting.  Then in a miraculous way, it seems like the doors of provision opened up and everything was lining up for perfect completion.  Only two days ’till all was done, what a relief!
Hebrews 10:36 challenges us saying that we need to have patience, or endurance, so that after we have done the will of God we would receive the promise.  Well, I have been very patient, so I was ready to receive the promise.  However!!!  In my excitement to see the final steps come to completion, I must have been a little over eager because when getting so close, I was caught off guard by still more delays, more wasted time, more phone calls, and more running around.  I must have allowed my frustration to slip out because my wife commented, “You’ve waited six months can’t you wait another four days?”
How easily we fail to be patient with situations, God and others.  Patience is more than just waiting till we get the results that we wanted.  Patience is allowing God to perfect something within us, He is trying to perfect a confident trust in Him that is present, no matter what happens.  This patience needs to be worked out to completion in our lives. That is why the Scriptures says in James 1:3-4, ” the testing of your faith produces patience.  But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”
We would like to think that this verse means that, “If I am patient, I will be lacking nothing.”  But in the continued context of this verse we see that if we lack faith then we will receive nothing from God (vs 6).  True patience is based upon a restful confidence and faith that God is working, even when it doesn’t seem like it.  This patience, based upon a confidence in God, keeps away the irritations, the frustrations, the anger, the sharpness of word and the wounding which our heart can easily give or receive.
Father, as you continue to work in and around us, help us to live our lives in patience, because You are in control of all things.