The importance of patience

“IF THERE IS ANYTHING I HAVE LEARNED THROUGHOUT THESE ORDEALS, IT IS PATIENCE.”

These were the words a brother so dear to my heart spoke to me recently during a discussion, and I was very touched. He had been through periods of disappointment, gotten “No” as answers to his prayers, and had experienced prolonged waiting. And when God finally answered his prayers and we reflected on all he had been through, he said to me, “Frank, if there is anything I have learned throughout these ordeals, it is patience.”

My dear brethren, sometimes the greatest lessons we learn do not come in moments of joy, but in periods of waiting, uncertainty, and suffering. There are times when we have prayed, worked hard, and trusted God, yet the answers we hoped for do not come. In those moments, it can feel as though God is silent or distant. But the Bible reminds us that God is always at work, even when we cannot see it. Solomon said, “He [God] has made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11, NKJV). What feels like delay to us is often preparation in God’s hands.

In these periods, God may not just be withholding something from us, but He may be building something within us. James communicated that, “knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:3-4, NKJV). Likewise, Paul said that “…knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:3-4, NKJV).

Patience is not something we naturally desire, but it is something God develops in us through trials. When prayers seem unanswered and doors remain closed, God is strengthening our faith, shaping our character, and drawing us closer to Him. We see this pattern throughout Scripture. Abraham waited for 25 years for the promise of Isaac (Genesis 12:1-4; 21:1-3). The woman who had been bleeding waited for 12 years to receive her healing (Mark 5:25-34). The man at the pool of Bethesda waited for 38 years before he was healed (John 5:1-9). In each of these examples, the waiting was long, but God was never absent.

So today, I want to encourage all of us that no matter what you may be going through, do not lose heart. Keep trusting in God’s timing. Keep praying. Keep living faithfully. Keep doing the work He has given you. And one day, after all the waiting, after the prayers are answered, you too may be able to say, “If there is anything I have learned throughout these ordeals, it is patience,” or some other lesson you can share to encourage others.

Stay blessed,

Frank Obeng Addae