Patience: It's About Time

This week I would like to focus on the doctrine of patience. What does it mean to be truly patient in a Gospel sense? Then, after figuring out that, how can it be applied?

I would first like to introduce the concept of necessary trial, hardship, and persecution. This concept is not new to this blog, and I think it's for good reason as dealing with hardship seems ever salient. In the context of patience, time is introduced. Take the revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith in Doctrine & Covenants Section 98:

Now, I speak unto you concerning your families—if men will smite you, or your families, once, and ye bear it patiently and revile not against them, neither seek revenge, ye shall be rewarded;
But if ye bear it not patiently, it shall be accounted unto you as being meted out as a just measure unto you.
And again, if your enemy shall smite you the second time, and you revile not against your enemy, and bear it patiently, your reward shall be an hundredfold.
And again, if he shall smite you the third time, and ye bear it patiently, your reward shall be doubled unto you four-fold;
And these three testimonies shall stand against your enemy if he repent not, and shall not be blotted out.

For [I] will give unto the faithful line upon line, precept upon precept; and I will try you and prove you herewith.
(98:23-27, 12)

So, how can we over time be counted among those given line upon line, and not have our trials counted against us as righteous judgment? Looking at these verses, it seems to me that there are four characteristics that describe the inpatient, and I think it's good to know what the low standard is in this case, that we may know when our patience is lacking. Here they are:

• Reviling
• Seeking Revenge
• Not recognizing the purpose of trials
• Not considering the Lord's timing

The first two can be easily picked out of verse 23, as being two measures of inpatience. But what exactly do these two descriptors mean? In the general context, it seems to me that reviling is analagous to asking Why Me, and it seems that "seeking revenge" can be related to deflecting personal responsibility, and thus blaming others. These two constructs are inwardly focused, taking into consideration only the individual, and nothing else.

the latter two constructs are also inwardly focused. I thought of them as I contemplated inpatience, and feel that they too deserve consideration. To be counted among them who are given line upon line, we must first understand that a perfect God has a perfect understanding of each of us, and also has a perfect individualized plan to help us become more, if we so desire. This is directly related to the perfect timeline set for our improvement, therefore the inclusion of the last construct.

Understanding what not to do, however, is just the beginning. The "line upon line" feels like daily striving to do the Lord's will, to serve others, and hope that future blessings will be ortogated unto us. We have to be nurturing of our selves and our faith, as was expressed by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf in his talk "The Way of the Disciple" in the last April General Conference:

Too often we approach the gospel like a farmer who places a seed in the ground in the morning and expects corn on the cob by the afternoon. When Alma compared the word of God to a seed, he explained that the seed grows into a fruit-bearing tree gradually, as a result of our “faith, and [our] diligence, and patience, and long-suffering.” It’s true that some blessings come right away: soon after we plant the seed in our hearts, it begins to swell and sprout and grow, and by this we know that the seed is good. From the very moment we set foot upon the pathway of discipleship, seen and unseen blessings from God begin to attend us.
But we cannot receive the fulness of those blessings if we “neglect the tree, and take no thought for its nourishment.”

Knowing that the seed is good is not enough. We must “nourish it with great care, that it may get root.”Only then can we partake of the fruit that is “sweet above all that is sweet, and … pure above all that is pure” and “feast upon this fruit even until [we] are filled, that [we] hunger not, neither shall [we] thirst.”

Discipleship is a journey. We need the refining lessons of the journey to craft our character and purify our hearts. By patiently walking in the path of discipleship, we demonstrate to ourselves the measure of our faith and our willingness to accept God’s will rather than ours.

May we act when Heavenly Father deems it time for us to act, and may we be able to recognize the call when it comes, after vigilantly waiting for blessings to arrive. Invariably we will end up like Naaman, who expected Elisha to visit to clean his leprosy, and who upon hearing that he should wash seven times in the River Jordan, thought that there were cleaner rivers in which he could possibly be cleansed. It is my prayer that we all can put the Lord's will and timing before our own, and learn to take those steps that will bring us happiness in the long run, as Naaman ultimately did. Have a great week!