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Read James 5:7-11 

Frustration with injustice, oppression, or the advancement of immorality must be met with patience. (7-8) 

Farmers know that they are at the mercy of seasons and timing. 

Impatience can lead to premature actions in helping God out. 

• Leads to poor decisions. 
• Leads to devastating results. 
• Abraham’s story. 
• Abraham did learn from it and returned to trust.   

Hebrews 11:13 “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.” 

• Just like the seasons there are standard practices of God that can be learned.
   
• His timing will be perfect.
   
• You need to trust the process. 

Embracing impatience will lead to a grumbling spirit that harms relationships. (9) 

• In the Greek this is a term that is referring to being overly critical and harsh.
   
• It is a form of judging.  Judging the one in charge of the process and casting judgment on those you blame.  
   
• Grumbling and complaining about others lead to bitterness and discontentment.
   
• You become miserable and pay forward your misery.
   
• You need to trust the process. 

The prophets provide a model on how to face adversity with patience. (10) 

• Consider Elijah. 
  • He was the strongest voice to an entire nation that ignored him, ridiculed him, and threatened him. 
  • He was not perfect, but he did stay committed to the Lord and obeyed. 
  • He trusted God’s process.

• Consider Daniel. 

Made Eunuch in a pagan land.
Had to earn trust with three different Kings. 
Trusted God when it could cost him his life. 
Longed to return home.   

Being a prophet was not for the faint of heart.   

He trusted the God’s process.

• Prophets had it difficult and kept pointing people to Jesus who was yet to come.  Hebrews 11:32-40 

God blesses those who are patient and persevere when the process gets long.  (11) 

• Consider Job. 
  • He lost everything. 
  • His friends were not patient and did not persevere and began to grumble against him and God. 
  • God blessed him.
    

• “Finally,” speaks to God’s timing not being our own.  (11b)
   
• When we persevere with patience, we will see that the Lord is full of compassion and mercy.  (11c) 

Patience and perseverance are all about trust. 

1. Trusting in the sovereignty of God.
   He is in control and has a plan that will prevail. 
   
   
2. Trusting in the timing of God’s plan. 
   Like Job when we can “finally” see what God is doing and why he is doing it we can see God for who he is and that he is in control. 
   
   
3. Trusting in the character of God who is orchestrating the plan. 
   He is filled with compassion for those who are hurting and going through difficulty. 
   He is merciful when we fail at patience and trust. 
   Despite our failure, his mercy helps us persevere. 

Prayer  (Self-reflect)  

Job self-reflection led to this prayer.   

Job 42:1-6 “Then Job replied to the Lord: 2 “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. 3 You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely, I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. 4 “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ 5 My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. 6 Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” 

Song “Do It Again” (a prayer) 

Waiting for change to come 
Knowing the battle's won 
For You have never failed me yet 
Your promise still stands 
Great is Your faithfulness, faithfulness 
I'm still in Your hands 
This is my confidence 
You've never failed me yet 
I know the night won't last 
Your word will come to pass 
My heart will sing Your praise again 

Benediction:  

Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”