Yes — God teaches patience primarily through the tribulations He allows and through patient waiting on His promises.
Scripture states plainly that 'tribulation worketh patience' (Romans 5:3), and Les Feldick confirms that believers are not promised a rose-petaled pathway. Trials, testing, and waiting on what is not yet seen are the tools God uses to develop patience, and He is faithful to provide a way to bear every test.
Romans 5:3 — This verse directly answers the question — tribulation is the means by which patience is produced.
Romans 5:4 — It continues the chain: patience produces experience, and experience produces hope.
Romans 8:25 — It shows patience as the posture of waiting for the fulfillment of hope that is not yet seen.
1 Corinthians 10:13 — It assures that God limits the testing He allows and always provides a way to bear it.
The Bible is direct about how patience is developed. In Romans 5:3, Paul writes that believers glory in tribulations, 'knowing that tribulation worketh patience.' The next verse continues the progression: 'And patience, experience; and experience, hope.' Tribulation is not meaningless suffering — it is the divinely appointed means by which endurance is formed, and that endurance produces proven character, which in turn produces hope. Romans 8:25 teaches a second aspect of patience: waiting. For the believer, hope is in what is not yet seen, so 'then do we with patience wait for it.' Romans 8:28 adds that all things work together for good to them that love God, showing that the trials are purposeful. First Corinthians 10:13 gives the boundary of every test: God is faithful, will not permit testing above what the believer is able, and will make a way to escape.
Les Feldick teaches that God never promised believers an easy life. Just because you become a believer, he says, 'you're not going to have a rose-petaled pathway' — believers are still in this old world and in a body of flesh (Clip 0). He calls the Christian life 'like paddling a canoe upstream,' a constant battle against the forces of Satan and the world itself (Clip 7). God uses these hardships to teach patience. Les quotes Romans 5 directly: 'we glory in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience' (Clip 4). He explains that God brings times of testing and tribulation to test our mettle — the same hard times that make some people bitter and rebellious make the true believing heart find God 'all the more precious' (Clip 1). God may bring tough things into a believer's life for His own purpose, to bring that person to the place He wants them to be (Clip 3). Patience also means waiting. Since Christ's return is not yet seen, believers 'do with patience wait for it,' and the Holy Spirit helps our weaknesses while we wait (Clip 2). Les also stresses the faithfulness of God in every test: God will not permit testing above what we are able, and with the testing He always makes a way of escape (Clips 5, 6). As believers go through times of testing and discouragement, the Lord God Himself will encourage them (Clip 7).
Les Feldick says becoming a believer does not mean a 'rose-petaled pathway' — believers remain in this old world in a body of flesh (Clip 0). He explains that God brings times of testing and tribulation to test our mettle: some people get bitter, angry, and rebellious, but the true believing heart, when hard times come, finds God all the more precious (Clip 1). God may bring tough things and bad experiences into a believer's life for His own purpose, to bring that person to the place He wants them to be (Clip 3).
In Romans 5:3-4, Paul writes that believers glory in tribulations, 'knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience works experience, and experience hope.' Les Feldick quotes this passage directly and explains that this is precisely why trials produce patience — endurance is the product of going through hardship, not of comfortable circumstances (Clip 4).
No. First Corinthians 10:13 promises that God is faithful and will not permit believers to be tested above what they are able, but with the testing will make a way to escape so they can bear it. Les illustrates the 'way of escape' with the Greek picture of an army entrapped in a canyon that finds another canyon off to the side through which to escape (Clip 5). He adds that believers will face temptation every day until they leave this life, but they have these promises to hang on to (Clip 6).
Les teaches from Romans 8:25 that because believers hope for what they do not yet see — the return of Christ — they 'do with patience wait for it.' We cannot push God to do it faster; instead we wait patiently while never losing sight of the fact that it is going to happen. In the meantime, the Holy Spirit, who indwells us, helpeth our infirmities, and we are to let God do it (Clip 2).
Les Feldick says flatly that anyone who promises a 'rose-petaled pathway' if you become a Christian is teaching falsehood — that has never been the theme of Scripture. He describes the Christian life as like paddling a canoe upstream: one of the toughest jobs on earth, a constant battle against all the forces of Satan and the world itself. But with the testing and discouragement, the Lord God Himself will encourage those who go through it (Clip 7).
No Rose-Petaled Pathway After Conversion
Les teaches that becoming a believer does not remove a person from this old world or from a body of flesh — so trials are simply part of the Christian life, not a sign God has abandoned us.
Testing and Tribulation Prove the Believer's Mettle
God brings times of testing and tribulation to test our mettle; while some become bitter and angry, the true believing heart finds God all the more precious in hard times.
Waiting Patiently for the Unseen Hope
Because Christ's return is not yet seen, believers are to wait patiently without losing sight that it will happen, and the Holy Spirit helps our weaknesses in the meantime.
God's Purpose in Tough Experiences
God may bring tough things and bad experiences into a believer's life for His own purpose, and all things work together for good to them that love God.
Tribulation Worketh Patience
Les quotes Romans 5:3-4 directly: believers glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience works experience, and experience hope — this is the core biblical answer to how patience is developed.
God Provides a Way of Escape
Les teaches from 1 Corinthians 10:13 that God is faithful and will not permit testing above what believers can withstand, always providing a way of escape.
Daily Temptation and the Promises to Hang On To
Les reminds believers that they will face temptation every day until they leave this life, but they have God's promises — including 1 Corinthians 10:13 and Hebrews 4:14-16 — to hold on to.
The Christian Life Is a Constant Battle
Les compares the Christian life to paddling a canoe upstream — a constant battle against Satan and the world — yet God encourages believers as they go through times of testing and discouragement.
Romans 5:3: And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
This verse directly states that tribulation is the means by which patience is produced.
Romans 5:4: And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
It continues the chain showing patience leads to proven experience, which leads to hope.
Romans 5:5: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
The hope produced through patience is certain because of God's love poured out by the Holy Spirit.
Romans 8:25: But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
Patience is also the posture of waiting for the fulfillment of what is not yet seen.
Romans 8:28: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
The trials that produce patience are purposeful and work for the believer's good.
1 Corinthians 10:13: There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
God limits the tests He allows and always provides a way to endure them.
No. Les Feldick teaches that becoming a believer does not mean a 'rose-petaled pathway' — believers are still in this old world in a body of flesh (Clip 0). Instead of removing trials, God brings believers through them and encourages them along the way (Clips 1, 7).
The Bible says tribulation worketh patience (Romans 5:3). Les explains that God brings times of testing and tribulation to test our mettle and, for the true believing heart, hard times make God all the more precious (Clips 1, 4). God may bring tough experiences for His own purpose (Clip 3).
No. First Corinthians 10:13 says God is faithful and will not permit testing above what you are able, but will with the testing make a way of escape (Clip 5). Les reminds believers they face temptation every day but have these promises to hang on to (Clip 6).
Romans 8:25 says that if we hope for what we see not, we do with patience wait for it. Les teaches that we cannot push God to do it faster; we wait patiently, never losing sight that Christ is going to return, and the Holy Spirit helps our weaknesses (Clip 2).
In Romans 5:4, the patience produced by tribulation leads to experience — the proven character that comes from enduring trials — and that experience in turn produces hope (Clip 4).
Watch the Teaching: Romans 5:1-2 Explained — Peace With God Through Faith Alone