THE
POWER OF PATIENCE, SELF-CONTROL AND SUBMISSION TO GOD
Ecclesiastes
7:8; I Corinthians 9:25; Proverbs 16: 32; James 4: 7
As human, a whole world of
opportunity is before you, you can attain very great heights in all spheres of
life and make heaven in the end. For this to be possible, among other things,
you must possess the virtues of patience, self-control and submission to God’s
will. Someone says, the only way we can mess something up is to rush into it
(to be impatient). On the other hand, the Bible calls patient people, happy
people (James 5:11). To attain mastery in anything (spiritual or temporal), one
must have self-control according to the Holy Bible (I Corinthians 9:25). In
other words, self-control is one of the virtues required for the achievement of
great heights both in the spiritual and secular endeavours. Also, God’s will is
good, perfect and pleasing (III John 2), submitting to it, therefore, would
yield the best possible outcome for us now, later in life and in all eternity. The
virtues of patience, self control and submission to God, therefore, are very
powerful and should not, in any way, be relegated to the background.
1.
Explanation
of Patience, Self-Control and Submission to God
Psalm
25:4, 5; 1 Corinthians 9: 24-27; Galatians 5:22, 23; Matthew 26:39; James 4:7.
Patience means bearing pains
or trials calmly or without complaints. It also means to be steadfast despite
opposition, difficulty or anxiety. Saul, for lack of patience, forced himself
to do what he was not supposed to do and consequently lost the throne (1 Samuel
6:6-14). As a Christian youth, patience requires that you insist on knowing the
mind of God about the moves you are about to make and ensure that it agrees
with God’s word before action is taken (Psalm 25:4, 5; 130:5). It also means
that you will not sin by forcing yourself to do something before God’s time
like Saul. Self control is the ability to control one’s emotion, behaviour and
desires in order to obtain some reward or avoid some punishments later. Self-control
is required in every area of our lives. “And
every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things...”(1
Corinthians 9: 25). We must have and
manifest self control in the use of our tongue and other members of our body,
in the use of time, in eating, sleeping, music we listen to and even what we
think about (Philippians 4:8). It should be part of our lives in all we do.
Submission means to yield to the control of a superior power. Submission to God,
therefore, means to yield to the control of God. It suggests that you abandon
your own will and do God’s will (Romans 12:1, 2). Obviously, God sees and knows
what we don’t know, it really makes sense to submit to Him if we do not want to
fail (Isaiah 55:8, 9).
2.
Examples of Patience, Self-Control and
Submission to God
37:5,28;
39:2,4,6,21; 40:23,41,44; James 5:11; 1 Corinthians 9:27; Matthew 26:36-38; Numbers
26:33; 27:1,7
Joseph
heard a dream. He was hated, maltreated, sold into slavery and imprisoned; yet he
did not complain nor offend God. Later his dream came to pass. Esther and her people patiently waited
on God until they were delivered from Haman’s plot. David had to wait for years to ascend the throne. Job bore his tribulation patiently
until God intervened. Paul was a good example of self-control. Jesus,
our perfect example, demonstrated submission to God when He needed to go to
the cross. Zelophehad’s daughters waited
patiently for their inheritance. As a Christian youth, you must exercise
patience while looking for admission or making up for deficiencies in your O’ Level
results. You must not yield to the temptation to cheat in examination, bribe
people for admission, patronize special examination centers, get-rich-quick
syndrome, cybercrime, cultism, immorality, etc.
3.
Excellence
through Patience, Self Control and Submission to God
James
5:11; Isaiah 30:18; Psalm 27:14; Isaiah 40:28-31; 64:4; 1 Corinthians 9:27;
Proverbs 16:32; 1 John 5:14, 15; Mark 8:35; Matthew 6:33
Real
happiness is for the patient (James 5:11). Waiting patiently for God brings
blessings, strength, renewal to do exploit and many more. “For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived
by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath
prepared for him that waiteth for him (Isaiah 64:4). David, Josiah, Joseph,
Ruth and a myriad of others excelled in life as they patiently waited on and
for God. Self control will help you not to become a castaway. A self-controlled
person before God is better than a mighty warrior that takes a city (Proverbs
16:32). Praying according to God’s will guarantee answers to all our requests.
Seeking God’s kingdom and its righteousness by submitting to His will bring
about the meeting of all our needs. The way to get the best is to submit to God
(Mark 8:35).
In conclusion, note that (i)
patience is not inactivity or delayed action; (ii) the Spirit of God and our
knowledge of who God is enables us to manifest these virtues (Galatians 5:23).
You need to be born again if you are not and study to know more about God to
enable you manifest these virtues. God is always at work on the behalf of His
people who are patient, disciplined and submissive to Him (2 Chronicles 16:9; 1
Peter 3:12).
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Interactive Session Make a list of
things you know or areas in your life that you are presently lacking any of
these virtues and prayerfully present same to the Lord today for a change, A
great change is on the way.
QUESTIONS
1. Explain
what you understand by (i) patience, (ii) self-control and (iii) submission to
God.
2. Mention
some Bible characters that exhibited the virtues of (i) patience (ii)
self-control and (iii) submission to God. And how can we apply this in our contemporary
time?
3. Mention
a Bible character that showed impatience and the consequence. Are youth very
patient in a world like ours today?
4. Identify
some rewards of (i) patience, (ii) self-control and (iii) submission to God.
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