Secrets of the Abundant Life – Patience

Psalm 84: 1 – 12 (NIV): How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young-- a place near your altar, O LORD Almighty, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you. "Selah" Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion. Hear my prayer, O LORD God Almighty; listen to me, O God of Jacob. "Selah" Look upon our shield, O God; look with favor on your anointed one. Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you.

The abundant life is found in waiting on God, trusting in him for all things, and basking in his presence. There is no higher life on earth. If you never spend time in God's presence, you probably wonder why you are not living the abundant life. If you don't enjoy going to church and being with other Christians, you are probably not living the abundant life.
The writer of this psalm said he would rather spend one day in God's courts than a thousand days anywhere else. The best part of his life was his time spent with God's people and in God's presence.
Further, those going through the “Valley of Baca” will find springs of water. Baca means “weeping” and the image is of people traveling through trials and sorrows – but finding joy even there because they know they are heading toward God's presence. They go from strength to strength and we know that trials form perseverance which strengthens our faith.
So this next secret of the abundant life is having patience. To me this means, first of all, we patiently wait on the Lord to answer our prayers, needs, concerns and desires. We love his church and we love his people; we trust in him and are determined to wait for him.
But it also means we are patient with each other. This seems to be what Paul had in mind when he listed patience in his list of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). We realize we are not perfect and no one else is either. We are like Christ when we are patient with each other. It's a simple matter of treating others as we want to be treated. Patience takes us a long way on the road to the abundant life.