God's Design for MenSample

Patient Men

I live in a small farming town, and it is not uncommon to get stuck behind a driver who is traveling significantly slower than the speed limit.

Why can this make me so angry?!

I’m usually not in any rush, and while it’s true that they are slowing traffic, I’ve come to appreciate that these plodding drivers are exposing the lack of patience that sits right under the surface for me, and, I expect, many men.

Men are driven to get things done! Yet, with that God-given drive, there is an inevitable tension where God does not always do things on our schedule. He is the God of seasons, and He is looking at our lives on the scope of eternity, fitting all things together in His good plan, so He seems less interested in getting things done fast and much more interested in getting them done right—and right often takes time.

Today’s verse highlights Abraham, a man of faith who waited decades for God's promise to come to pass in his life, but ultimately did receive it after all that patience! He is an example for all men of the good that can happen when we wait on and trust the Lord, even if it’s longer than we’d like.

We can learn a lot from the farmers of my town. Why rush and stress? The seasons come and go, the rain falls or doesn’t, harvest time comes one way or another, and man controls none of it. The farmer has no choice but to wait and trust God; they are by far the most patient men I know.

Jesus, the perfect Man, modeled patience for us in how He bore with His disciples’ ignorance (e.g., Mark 9:33-37), or endured His critics’ attacks (e.g., Mark 12:13-17), when He waited on the Father’s perfect timing for the Cross (John 17:1), and when He endured His suffering without complaint (1 Peter 2:21–23).

Men are at their best when they adopt a farmer’s mentality, understanding that they have work to do, but that, ultimately, everything is in God’s hands, and all we can do is be faithful on our part and patient waiting on His.

God’s design for men is that we would patiently endure our own suffering, patiently wait on God’s timing, and patiently bear with others in our lives we might find challenging, knowing that we demonstrate God’s great patience with ourselves as we do.

Prayer: Father, thank You for Your great patience toward me! I need more patience in my life. Grant me the ability to look at things like You do, from an eternal perspective, so that I can share in Your patience. Amen.

Reflection: Purposefully go and do something today that stretches your patience—and while you are doing it, thank God for it!