Patiently Endure

 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.  For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.                          I Peter 2:20-24 (ESV)

“Mommy, Mommy, Mommy! Come on Mommy! Mommy, you get me ‘nana, Mommy. Come on Mommy! Mommy, I want ‘nana Mommy! Please, Mommy I have ‘nana Mommy? Mommy, come on!”

We’ve all been there right? The desperate please of a three year old greatly in need of a banana or other snack, drink, toy, etc. Of course, we’re on the phone or typing an email or doing something else that requires our attention and some focus when the need arises. No amount of “just a minute” or “be patient sweetie” seems to satisfy the needy child. Then you think to yourself “be patient, don’t lose your cool, she’s just a little one who has to learn to wait.”

Sometimes, I think God uses my kids to show me how I act exactly the same way even as a grown-up. “Lord, Lord, please, Lord, I can’t take this burden anymore! Please, Lord, take it away. It’s not fair, I don’t want to do this, I can’t do this. Lord, please!” I confess, I’ve prayed like that over trials in my life and I can’t seem to hear (or maybe I just choose to ignore) the “be still, be patient, wait, my child”.

I Peter 2 is an admonition to believers being persecuted for their faith to endure patiently. Peter says when you suffer in doing good, do it with patience because Christ endured patiently to the point of death to set us free from sin. If we grumble and complain about our trails, refuse to submit to the authority in our life, or live like miserable grumps we’re no different than the world – that’s how sinners react to tough times. But we have hope in the only one who, after he suffered and died, came back to life by his own power so that by His wounds we are healed.