Reflection point
According to the Dictionary of Biblical Topics, patience is the quality of tolerance and self‑control that is manifested particularly in a disposition to wait on God and His will. Believers are called to be patient in their expectations of God, and in their relationships with one another.[1]
I want us to reflect on the following Psalm:
Psalm 40:1–3 (RVR60)
1 Patiently I waited for the LORD, and He inclined Himself to me, and heard my cry.
2 And He brought me out of the pit of despair, out of the muddy slime; He set my feet upon a rock, and steadied my steps.
3 Then He placed a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see this, and fear, and will trust in the LORD.
Psalm 40 is attributed to David as its author and is a thanksgiving to God for acting on behalf of those who trust in Him.
It strikes me that David begins with the word Patiently. In my own words, patience is the ability to wait on God, without ceasing to please Him. The Psalm tells us that David was not only surrounded by enemies (see Psalm 40.14) whom he could not face by his own strength, but also recognized his own troubles (see Psalm 40.12). This is a sign of humility before God’s presence. I mention this because Scripture says that for God to attend to us, there is a requirement that we humble ourselves (see Psalm 138.6).
How about if I tell you that patience and humility go hand in hand? God calls us to be patient, which is summarized as waiting on God while keeping His word and pleasing Him, but humbling ourselves is what makes God attend to us, and humbling ourselves is dying to ourselves so that we do God’s will and not our own. This combination of patience and humility produced in David a powerful work that we will see below:
He brought me out of the pit of despair, out of the muddy slime (see Psalm 40.2a)
A well is a place dug in the ground with a considerably deep depth. Wells were dug to obtain water, but they were also used to put enemies in as punishment and a form of imprisonment. There is no way a person can get out of that well by his own strength, only with the help of someone.
In the same way it mentions the muddy slime, referring to a place full of mud, possibly referring to the bottom of the well that no longer has water, but mud. A place we also cannot exit by our own strength, for what well can produce water once it is dry?
Is it possible to be patient and remain humbled, even when we feel desperate? The answer is yes, that is what happened to David; despite feeling desperate, as if he were inside a mud‑filled well, he was patient waiting for the LORD’s rescue.
You may have prayer requests before God’s presence; today I invite you to be patient and wait humbled before His presence, because He does not delay in coming and sooner or later God will attend to your case. God’s intervention brings about a redemptive work in the psalmist.
He set my feet upon a rock (see Psalm 40.2b)
A rock is a large fragment of stone. Rocks are considered in the Bible as a foundation of firmness. We see how God lifts David out of despair, where possibly his body, soul, and spirit were in a state of vulnerability and uncertainty, and He places him in a state of firmness upon the rock.
Scripture says that our rock is Christ (see Ephesians 2.20). In this verse we see God’s redemptive work, where we move from a possible state of death to one of life, but grounded on the rock that is Christ.
Affirming ourselves in Christ is only the first step in God’s redemptive work.
He steadied my steps (see Psalm 40.2c)
When we speak of steps, there is already a walking, a moving. God does not lift you out of a crisis with the intention that you return to the world to do your own will, but He steadies your steps so that you move to do His will.
He placed a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God (see Psalm 40.3a)
One of the most difficult things for us as Christians to process is finding contentment in serving God. The apostle Paul teaches us that this is something learned (see Philippians 4.11).
Our flesh is never satisfied, but when we come to the feet of Jesus, we understand that all things in this world have an end. Heaven and earth will pass away, but His word will not pass away (see Luke 21.33). Therefore our contentment is found in doing His will, knowing whether we have abundance or not, His will is to lead us to the eternal life He has prepared for those who patiently wait in Him. Although our fleshly desires are never satisfied, His Holy Spirit gives us control to overcome the flesh and order our passions according to His will. All this should produce in us a song of praise to our God.
Many will see this and fear and trust in the LORD (see Psalm 40.3b)
The end of our redemption and our purpose on earth is not ourselves. The testimony of God’s redemptive work in me will be an occasion for others to fear God, including our enemies; for others to trust God, including our enemies.
There is only one requirement, to wait patiently, until when? James exhorts us that “patience should have its perfect work” (see James 1.4). The Bible in Matthew 24.13 declares that “the one who endures to the end, that one will be saved.”
I exhort you to cast your burdens, your problems, your worries, your anxieties and everything that steals your patience that God wants you to have, waiting and trusting in Him, until you see His redemptive hand upon your life.
To reflect:
- Am I being patient while going through difficult trials?
- What is my response when I feel I can’t go on?
- Do I recognize my weaknesses and understand God’s grace over my life?
Guiding prayer:
Father, in this hour I ask that You help me manifest the fruit of patience, that You help me trust in You at all times. Teach me to be content serving You and waiting on You. AMEN
Reference:
[1] Manser, M. H. (2012). Dictionary of Biblical Topics. (G. Powell, Ed.). Bellingham, WA: Logos Biblical Software.
