The Key to Everything is Patience

"The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it" (Arnold Glasgow).

Patience! The key to everything is patience according to the American businessman and humorist Arnold Glasgow.

When hated by men for Christ’s sake Jesus said, “In your patience possess ye your souls” (Luke 21:19).

Patience! Our very souls are dependent upon it.

“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus” (Romans 15:4-5)

Patience! From scripture, of God for our learning, hope and comfort so we all can be of the mind of Christ!

But what is patience? It is more than just letting time go by, patience is interactive. It is encountering and weathering a situation. Patience is endurance. 

“And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved” (Matthew 10:22)

“Hypomenō” is the Greek word the King James Version Bible uses for both patience and endure. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon gives brilliant and more appropriate descriptive of what is meant: “Remain, abide. Not recede or flee. To cleave faithfully to God. Bear bravely and calmly.”

Patience and endurance are attributes and armament meant to protect us from times of trial, tribulation and temptation.

A trial is a proving or a testing of us. Tribulation is pressure, or more precisely, a pressing as in a wine press. And temptation is an enticement given to dissuade or persuade us from our salvation.

God allows the adversity, but he also always supplies the tools to outlast and overcome them.  Not only does patience allow us to grow and strengthen in Him, but is how we shed and discard the sin attached to us. Through patience comes experience which produces hope and faith. No one likes cold feet but we are all going to have to walk on the ice to cross the frozen stream of adversity. God enables us to patiently endure. The experience deepens our trust and faith in Him, deepening our bond and love.

Bill Hitchcock