Why should we Follow after Patience?

But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

1 Timothy 6:11

How is your patience these days? Short, medium, or long? Some of us may have to learn to think outside of the box, which is a metaphor to think differently in what we believe. Our Lord Jesus Christ is revealing a new way of living in how we think and behave. Patience is the ability to tolerate delay or suffering without getting mad or angry. Patience is endurance for what you are suffering under. The apostle Paul is saying to all of us to flee from the root of all evil which is the love of money. If we have food and clothing, we should be content. Coveting after money means you are no longer focused upon Christ. Going after money brings selfish desires to the forefront where you begin to serve it rather than serving God. The focus changes and you are no longer walking in faith. We must remember the words of Jesus in the following scriptures.

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and money.”

Matthew 6:24

The apostle Paul first states that we are to flee from these things. The things are what came before verse eleven in 1 Timothy chapter six. The many hurtful lusts that drown men in destruction and the state of eternal punishment. We are not always taught to be separate from this present world system. This present world system is under Satan’s dominion and greed along with selfishness is a force for evil for it has no concern for the other person. We are to partake into the divine nature in Christ and not the nature of this world. We are kept by the power of God through faith in Jesus Christ. Lest we forget we are being changed from glory to glory into the image of Christ [see 2 Corinthians 3:18]. It is by the Spirit of the Lord, and not of our own works that we are changed into the image of Christ. 

We ask God for help in whatever we cannot obtain. Righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and meekness are virtues of Christ. These are what we follow after instead of the things in the world. We must fight the good fight of faith in order to hold onto eternal life [see 1 Timothy 6:12]. It takes patience to continue in the faith of one’s profession in Christ. It takes patience to forbear sufferings that besieges us for unknown reasons that one cannot understand. Let us remember Job’s patience in what he endured. Job was blameless and upright before God [see Job 1:8]. Job lost his family, possessions, and health. Job trusted in the sovereignty of God. When Job prayed for his friends who had accused him, God restored a double portion back to him. In Job chapter 42, verse twelve, states that the latter end of Job was more blessed than the beginning of Job’s life. Through Job’s experience in suffering, he gained more knowledge of the Lord God.

I know that thou canst do everything, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.”

Job 42:2

God can do anything, and no human thought is withheld from Him. Read what James said about Job in the following scripture.

Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.”

James 5:11

The restoration of Job is the end result of the Lord. He is pitiful and of tender mercy to have restored Job and blessed him with more at the end of his sufferings. Job’s heart was established in the Lord. James the brother of Jesus tells us to look at the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience [see James 5:10]. Abraham had patience to wait for the fulfilling of the promise of a son. We hold onto the promises of God and believe that what He has promised, He will not withhold. With patience also comes godliness. 

Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

2 Peter 1:5-7

Temperance to patience and patience to godliness. How one virtue begets another virtue in succession. The oxford dictionary had this sentence for the second meaning of temperance, “the whole multitude of men lack temperance in their lives, either from ignorance or from want of self-control.” I could not of state this any better.  Self-control is what we need today. Self-control will give us patience to endure whatever comes our way. Let us follow patience which is a virtue of Christ and flee from all selfish desires that would take us away from the love of Christ.