The Patience of a Farmer

The Patience of a Farmer

Jam 5:7-8 NIV - Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near.

Pro 14:29 NIV - A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly.

The Lord reminded me of patience on something I’ve been desiring for a long time. This verse in James came to mind. Patience, James says, is like a farmer “[waiting] for the land do yield its valuable crop.” Farmers must endure great patience to see a crop grow. They must “[be] patient for the autumn and spring rains.”

This verse is quite useful, for it reminds us of all the things that we must wait on in our lives. Unanswered prayers, a restored relationship, the creation or building of a relationship, the salvation of a loved one, a job opportunity, or many other scenarios. All these things require patience. We must think of the farmer in these times. A farmer plants his seed long in advance of his expectation of its yield. The saying “you reap what you say” is true indeed, but it says nothing about when the reaping comes. That is what takes patience. Many people begin to sow, but give up after they do not see their reaping coming when they wish it to be so. Thus, people are usually only patient when they are forced to be patient. The farmer is forced to be patient. The expecting mother is forced to be patient. The loved one of a recovering hospital patient must be patient.

But God teaches us to be patient by means other than force. Patience is one of the virtues that must often come by discipline. Practicing patience involves building virtues other than simply patience. It is a composite virtue, composed of other virtues such as love, peace, hope, and endurance. In practicing patience, we must utilize these other virtues if we are to see the reaping of our crops. For what man is patient with his son unless he loves him? What man prays for the ending of conflict unless he is full of peace? How does one promote change in the world unless he has hope change will come?

What comes of patience is not merely the crops themselves, but, as the writer of Proverbs puts it, “great understanding.” The “patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly.” The most patient people are usually some of the wisest people. Why? Because patience often pursues knowledge and wisdom or experience that yields knowledge and wisdom. I once had a computer science professor who told me, “You can’t learn to program by someone simply showing you; you have to practice yourself.” This is a valuable lesson to whatever we are doing. When we are patient and see things through to the end, the Lord teaches us valuable lessons that we can apply to the glory of His Kingdom.

How is your patience today? Are you struggling to complete things? Are you losing hope? If so, remember the farmer. One day all this waiting shall pay off. Whether it is a situation in our own lives, or the very patient waiting of Christ’s return, God’s children will reap their reward. Be patient, and I promise good things will come. Amen.

With love in Christ,



Austin Aldrich