Passionate Patience

What do passion and patience have in common?

They both begin with same two letters, but beyond that it is hard to see. If you where playing a word association game, I doubt patience would follow passion.

If we think of a passionate person, and we imagine one who is pushing ahead with projects. They never slow down, never seem to rest. They have an idea and they pursue it relentlessly. They are zealous, driven, a real leader of others. Their passion is contagious, drawing others along.

When we think of a patient person, we picture one who is careful and considered in their actions. They move slowly and deliberately, They are willing to wait, never in a hurry. Sometimes, they are frustratingly slow, seen as been weak and indecisive.

Passion and patience don't seem to belong together - but can they?

It's an important question to ask, as we emerge from lockdown. More permissions are being granted each week, we have greater freedom and a return to normality is nearer every day. For some it is too slow. For others, a little too quick. The lessons we have learned about patience through lockdown are quickly abandoned!

At the moment, the pace is largely being set for us. We do one thing and refrain from others, as that is what we are allowed to do. The responsibility for the decisions lies somewhere else. However, increasingly the responsibility is on us - as we are given greater freedom, we must choose how to exercise it. For example, currently in Scotland the use of church buildings is not possible, but when the doors open again, how do we re-enter? The decision for what activities to resume and when, lies with the local leaders. Some will want to start everything, in the first week. Others, will be more cautious.

What should we do?

That's where the idea of passionate patience fits in. I believe we are all called to be passionately patient people. And as churches, we must display this same passionate patience.

But how do passion and patience fit together?

They only fit when our passion is focused in the right direction. When we are passionate for Jesus Christ.

When we are passionate for him, we can be patient in everything else!.

So, we must be passionate for Jesus Christ and patiently follow where he leads. We must be 100% committed to him, and walk in step with his Spirit. We must keep him at the centre of our church life, and be willing to let go of any traditions and activities which are part of our life together.

Let's look at an example.

I think you see passionate patience in the Apostle Paul. Without a doubt, he was a driven, determined, passionate man. Before he became a Christian, he was passionate in his persecution of Christians. When he was going to Damascus to imprison followers of Jesus, he himself had a life changing encounter whit Jesus. From that moment he was passionate about telling people about Jesus. He states his life aim saying 'for me to live is Christ.'

However, as you read through Acts, you are also struck by the passage of time. He spent two years languishing in a jail - only able to speak of Jesus when summoned by the rulers. Yes he wrote letters during this time - he did so as a an avenue for his passion for Jesus. And he patiently waited for the way ahead to open up. Willingly walking on when it did so.

Paul was passionate for Jesus Christ, and patient in the activites he carried out.

We see this same balance in Psalm33.

The Psalm begins with a call to joyful praise of the Lord, and expresses a patient trust in him, as the Psalmist believes God's word. Then the closing verses say,

We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you.

Psalm 33:20-22

Can you sense the Psalmist's passion? Do you see where it is directed? He rejoices in the Lord, and waits for him to act.

This leads us to the test. A simple question for us all to consider as we emerge from lockdown.

What are you looking forward to getting back to?

What has to begin again for you to say, everything is back to normal?

Those questions lift the lid on our passion. They show what we are passionate about. They also give us the secret to contentment and patience. When we are passionate for Jesus Christ, we can be patience in all other things - be that church buildings or pubs reopening. And if we find that we really have to go back to this activity or have that thing as it was, we need to face up to the fact we have made an idol of that activity or thing. We must repent.

So as we emerge from lockdown, let's be passionate for Jesus Christ, and patiently follow in step with him. Let's seek to do the things he is leading us to do now, not simply restart the things we enjoyed back then.