Most if not all of us have been told that patience is a virtue. Whether we wanted to hear those words or not, most of us have been told that we need to be patient.  However, rarely are we shown how to be patient. See, patience is not something we have, it is something we consciously do.  The more we practice it, the more patient we become.  And if we truly understood how patience pays off in our lives the more we would be inclined to do it!

 

In our text, we find Jacob really having to practice patience. He has decided to work for seven years in anticipation of receiving Rachel as his wife. But Jacob is tricked and has to work another seven years in order to truly receive Rachel.  However, it is through this challenging experience that we see how patience pays off in Jacob's life.  We too can experience some of the same benefits Jacob receives from exercising patience.