We live in a culture that wants things now.

Everything is instantly at our finger tips.

Virtual reality has become a basic reality. However, in this virtual life of ours, most virtues have been lost.

The virtue of patience seems to be long gone, even for devout believers in Christ. This lost patience almost looks like resentment. Forget patience in suffering as a human or as a Christian. We can’t get ourselves to that point because we want an insta-fix. We don’t find refinement went we want to skip over the fire.

When pain, suffering, or trials come our way, we start to feel agitated or bitter. Our support systems that typically help give the answers or fix the problems aren’t working in our imperatively responsive lives.

Ultimately, who doesn’t long for a world without suffering? Both the Christ follower and secularist want a world of peace, but to what means? The definition of peace and hope lie in different ideologies and create a robotic like living when we all become the same. When we all follow the same pattern of the world, where do we find ourselves?

James 5: 11a ESV Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast…

If we are not to follow the world, but want to seek the same justice as human kind, how to we work though it? We can try to seek simple solutions, but where in God’s Word do find such examples? No one lives a simple life, but a profound truth that turns to the Lord in all things.

As we look at suffering and the lack of patience in the face, we truly need to look past them and keep our eyes fixed in the second Advent of the Lord. Even if it is not in our lifetime, we need to keep our eyes on Him in hope and endurance.

We can and should stand for compassion, justice and mercy in the face of evil and sin. We should never look for an instant fix in our virtual worlds. When the judge returns, He will right all of the wrongs.

We need to keep steady and focused on the Lord. This is key to not losing hope and falling into the robotic response of a society steeped in agitation and cowardice.

James 5: 8-9 ESV You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.