You are waiting at a bus stop. It's pouring rain. The bus is running late. Your kids are squabbling. You've just realized that you left your credit card at Woolworths' checkout. It's moments like these that patience is a virtue hard come by. It's easy to be patient when the weather is perfect, the bus runs on time, the kids are like saints, and your purse is in order.
In the same way —in your spiritual life— its easy to be patient with God when your church is wonderful, your neighbours are tolerant, your prayers are all answered, your sins are few and forgiven, your spouse and family share your faith, you have no enemies nor opposition, and you are blessed with love, health, and money. But it may not be that way for you, and certainly that's not how it is for many Christians.
Paul, and the people he served in the gospel, did not have an easy time in their faith, otherwise why would he exhort them to be "rejoicing in hope, patient in troubles, devoted to prayer"(Rom 12:12)? They had hope for the future but tribulation in the present. So they were encouraged to be patient and prayerful while they suffered.
Some of the personal passages from Paul's writings make us wonder how he ever coped. If he had patience in his circumstances, then he is well qualified to be a mentor for us.
2Co 6:4-6"...but in everything commending ourselves, as servants of God, in great endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in labors, in vigils, in fastings; in pureness, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in sincere love..."
2Tm 2:9-12"...in which I suffer hardship to the point of chains as a criminal. But God's word isn’t chained. Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. This saying is faithful: For if we died with him, we will also live with him. If we endure, we will also reign with him."
Strong encouragement for the suffering
The scriptures are full of encouragement to help and strengthen the suffering, and to help them endure with patience. Remember these exhortations are real letters written in real situations where real people were suffering. Here are some examples...
Heb 10:32-36"But remember the former days, in which, after you were enlightened, you endured a great struggle with sufferings; partly, being exposed to reproaches and oppressions; and partly, becoming partakers with those who were treated so. For you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your possessions, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an enduring one in the heavens."
"Therefore do not throw away your boldness, which has a great reward. For you need endurance so that, having done the will of God, you may receive the promise. ‘In a very little while, he who comes will come, and will not wait. But the righteous will live by faith. If he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.’ But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the saving of the soul."
Heb 12:1-7"Therefore, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
"For consider him who has endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, that you don't grow weary, fainting in your souls. You have not yet resisted to blood, striving against sin; and you have forgotten the exhortation which reasons with you as with children, ‘My son, don't take lightly the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by him. For whom the Lord loves, he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives.’ You endure for discipline. God deals with you as with children. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?"
Jas 5:7-10"Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until it receives the early and late rain. You be patient too. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Don’t grumble against one another brothers, so that you will not be judged. Behold, the judge stands at the door. Brothers, take for an example of suffering and of patience, the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord."
Being patient together
It is very hard to be patient alone. Sufferings need to be shared. We draw encouragement from each other and are strengthened by one another's example.
Rev 1:9"I John, your brother and partner with you in oppression, and in the kingdom and patience of Christ Jesus, was on the isle that is called Patmos because of God's Word and the testimony of Jesus Christ."
2Th 1:4"...we ourselves boast about you in the congregations of God, for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which you endure."