Motivational Bible Quotes for Patience in a Wicked Age

2021 (or, perhaps 2020 – Season 2) has arrived and the Christian Church is still struggling to adapt to numerous, dramatic changes.

On top of all this, it’s still business as usual:

• The D.C. riots on January 6 are now being labeled a “Christian Insurrection,” because Trump somehow became synonymous with the Church.
• Young girls happily livestream their abortions on social media. Meanwhile, HBO unveils a “buddy road film” drama about a girl taking a road trip to get an abortion which has an 88% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
• The Body of Christ is continually persecuted in North Korea, India, and the Middle East.
• Political leaders command the populace to refrain from large gatherings, even if it means straining family ties during the holidays, but have no problem gathering in large groups to dine with political agents or flying to luxury resorts.
• Several cities erupt in riots where businesses are destroyed, livelihoods are lost, and people are bloodied in the street. Sometimes murdered.
• Last, but not least, the global pestilence known as COVID-19, and its mutations, thus ensuring that vaccines will be the norm for quite a while. (Remember when we cured polio with one vaccine?)

I could go on but why belabor the point. I’m sure you also have your own tales of woe or personal anecdotes of the pettiness or small-scale wickedness that has played out recently. As the Joker once said, it’s enough to drive anyone crazy.

How long will the Lord let the wicked run wild? Why do the unjust succeed and prosper while the righteous suffer? Why do the wicked always seem to get away with it…?

Lord, how long will the wicked, how long will the wicked triumph?

Psalms 94:3

Yet in all these, we must have patience.

I was never one for patience. Between adolescence to my present, I’ve often shown impatience with the small things of the world as well as the wicked. As the years have progressed I’ve watched as things have gotten even worse.

I converted to Christianity in my early 20’s and my life has certainly been better for it. Since then, the Holy Spirit has tried many times to teach me patience but I’ve always been a dense, obstinate rock. It didn’t help that given my line of work I’ve seen firsthand how the wrong people are often rewarded with money or privileges they didn’t earn. Years of witnessing it tends to make you a little bitter.

Maybe everyone at some point gets frustrated with the state of the world. Even atheists:

The question this kid asks tends to come up a lot from everyone.

But it seems like things are just getting worse, on a bigger, grander scale than anyone has ever seen in the past.

SEE: 3 Healing Affirmations to Endure the Rest of 2020

While my patience has been tried by a great many things I have to remind myself that it’s by design. God’s patience and longsuffering is part of His grace.

I’ve learned that God’s patience is actually a mercy for us. It’s one of a few reasons why God allows suffering in this world.

Take a second look at the bullet-list above and then reflect on the video you just watched. This is just a drop in the bucket. The whole Earth is filled with wickedness. Even as Christians, we are still sinners. Our sins, though maybe not what has been outlined above, are just as condemnable as the unsaved’s.

But the same questions that kid asked are the same that everyone still asks. Why does God allow bad things to happen? Why does God tolerate any of this?

I’ve learned that in times like these it’s always best to be still and know the Lord’s peace.

God is patient for a reason.

Even the Wicked Are Granted God’s Patience (Same As You)

If God does not punish wickedness then God is not just. However, God punishes (and forgives) according to His timetable, not ours.

Therein lies the struggle.

Even Christians almost come to the point of gnashing their teeth at God when terrible things happen. We all know someone who has suffered, pointlessly even, at someone else’s hands, or suffered for seemingly no reason at all. Maybe the person who suffered was you.

Meanwhile, the wicked of the world delight in gaining even more things they don’t need. Or destroying things someone else built because they’re angry at something and need something to take out their aggression. Or killing innocent people for simply being at the wrong place and the wrong time. Or worse.

Don’t they deserve it?

God, however, does not enjoy bringing suffering on His children, believe it or not. (Lamentations 3:33, CSB).

But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and did not destroy them. Yes, many a time He turned His anger away, and did not stir up all His wrath.

Psalms 78:38

It is God’s preference to give everyone, including the wicked time to repent – but they must have the time and space to do so.

Say to them: “As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die[?]”

Ezekiel 33:11

The Lord was (and is) patient with YOU as well. All have sinned and have fallen short of God’s grace. We all need Christ’s death and resurrection to save us. If you deserve the benefit of God’s patience and longsuffering, then so do the wicked.

Thing is, though, when the wicked sin and get away with it, they’re not immediately punished. They may not even see punishment their entire lives. The lack of immediate punishment consolidates and reinforces their mindsets.

Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

Ecclesiastes 8:11

But, again, remember, it’s God’s timetable, not ours:

The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:9 NASB

This pisses many people off. It’s pissed me off before, but I had to stop myself before I indulged in those feelings any further. (See below).

Remember Jonah? He didn’t want Assyria to repent. He wanted them wiped off the map. Genocide’d. When I read Jonah I could feel that when he called Ninevah to repentance his heart wasn’t in it. When Assyria did repent Jonah pouted about it and God had to set him straight.

Job’s entire family and livelihood were wiped out in a single day. He was starting to get beside himself and God had to set him straight.

I’ve experienced events in my life that caused me to get angry with the Lord, but I had to pull myself back before God set me straight.

It’s hard. It’s so @#$@$ hard. Especially when the wicked prosper and laugh at you.

But remember again that our God is a just God. His Justice is for everyone.

Keep reading and see what I mean.

Do Not Get Carried Away in Anger

Seeking to be patient in a wicked age is almost a Herculean task given that it’s basically “on tap” every time you look at your phone or turn on a TV.

Believe me, it’s easier to be angry and bitter than show patience.

How long do you have to keep putting up with this?

But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.

James 1:19-20 NASB

You want the ultimate example of patience? Try and even fathom the indescribable rage and righteous indignation God felt watching His own son die on the cross, watching him be beaten and scourged, his facial hair pulled out of his face root-and-stem, his “friends” not standing up for him, and finally, hearing him crying “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

If you are a father and have a son, like me, what emotions do you feel imagining this?

Yet God refrained from destroying everything to save His son. If you were God, could you have done the same?

Do not dwell in your wrath.

Do not let the sun go down on your anger. (Ephesians 4:26).

Meditate within your heart for peace. (Psalms 4:4).

And remember that vengeance is the Lord’s. (Deut. 32:35)

The Wicked Are Always Punished in Due Course

It doesn’t get better for them.

They were given time and patience to see the error of their ways, but they chose to spit in God’s face.

Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his life, still I know that it will be well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly. But it will not be well for the evil man and he will not lengthen his days like a shadow, because he does not fear God.

Ecclesiastes 8:12-13 NASB

God does not somehow ratify or acquiesce to the wicked’s bad deeds when punishment isn’t immediately delivered.

The wicked are always punished in due course:

“These things you have done and I kept silence; You thought that I was just like you; I will reprove you and state the case in order before your eyes.

Psalms 50:21 NASB

If you watched the video above, God does not interject Himself immediately upon the commission of an evil act. To do so rejects the gift of free will. Without free will, love is impossible.

Leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY.” (Romans 12:19.)

But you, Christian, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. (Php. 2:12.)

Longsuffering: An Opportunity

What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom He called[?].

Romans 9:22-24 NKJV

This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.

1 Titus 1:15-16 NKJV

Imagine a wicked man coming to Christ. What a sight that would be and what a victory for the Holy Spirit. What a model that man would be to let Christ’s example of longsuffering and mercy shine through an example to the rest of us.

This is exactly what Paul was driving at because Paul was that wicked man who persecuted Christians.

Was I also not that wicked, petulant child of my youth?

Are we not all wicked without God’s saving grace?

Pray for someone you don’t even know. Pray for the wicked man or woman. Let Christ’s example of patience and longsuffering shine through another person as it does you.

Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

Philippians 2:14-16 NKJV

Don’t forget the opportunity that Christ’s longsuffering gives for us all.

And remember that Christ is coming soon.

A Prayer for Patience

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Matthew 11:29-30

I’ll end with a few excerpts from an excellent prayer from a Houston pastor (click here to read the entire post).