Be patient until the Lord's coming

Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.
-James 5:7-9

Barnes notes: Sense of the Greek is, "Let not your patience be exhausted. Your courage, vigor, and forbearance is not to be short-lived, but is to be enduring. Let it continue as long as there is need of it, even to the coming of the Lord. Then you will be released from sufferings."

The "coming of the Lord" in any way was an event which Christians were taught to expect, and which would be connected with their deliverance from troubles. The idea seems to be, that we should wait for things to develop themselves in their proper season, and should not be impatient before that season arrives. In due time we may expect the harvest to be ripened. We cannot hasten it. We cannot control the rain, the sun, the season; and the farmer therefore patiently waits until in the regular course of events he has a harvest. 

So we cannot control and hasten the events which are in God's own keeping; and we should patiently wait for the developments of his will, and the arrangements of his providence, by which we may obtain what we desire. "And hath long patience for it" - That is, his patience is not exhausted. It extends through the whole time in which, by the divine arrangements, we may expect a harvest. 

"Until we receive the early and latter rain" (autumn and spring rains).  The first showers of autumn, which revived the parched and thirsty earth, and prepared it for the seed; and the latter showers of spring, which continued to refresh and forward the ripening crops and the vernal products of the fields. (Robinson's Biblical Researchers)

_______________________

Photo: Timothy M Roberts, Patience; Maroubra, Australia

Albert Barnes notes on the Bible