George Swinnock’s quote: “To lengthen my patience is the best way to shorten my troubles.”

It’s got that Puritan ring to it—stoic, enduring, almost masochistic in its embrace of suffering. On the surface, it sounds pious, like something you’d stitch on a sampler and hang in a Reformed study.

The Scripture’s focus on everyday troubles (not gospel persecution, mind you) isn’t to stretch your patience like taffy until the storm passes—it’s to obliterate the trouble altogether through faith, rendering patience obsolete where applicable. Patience for patience’s sake? That’s not virtue; that’s veiled unbelief, a defective ethic masquerading as holiness.

You might need patience if your faith is weak, and you need time to renew your mind to the point where you are regularly getting the miracles you are asking for. Sometimes the miracle happens the moment you ask, but like the tree Jesus cursed, it might take a little time before you see the full results. Sometimes you need to keep knocking, and thus some patience is needed.

First, let’s ground this in epistemology and metaphysics, because if we’re not starting from God’s revelation as our sole and only first principle, we’re just peddling human speculation. The Bible doesn’t begin with ethics (what we “ought” to do in trials); it starts with God’s sovereignty over reality (Genesis 1:1, Psalm 24:1-2). God owns the earth, the seas, the troubles—and He decrees how we interact with them. God’s absolute control isn’t fatalism; it’s determinism by an intelligent, promise-keeping Mind. He predestines us not just for bare rescue but for fruit-bearing, miracle-receiving life (John 15:16). Predestination includes getting whatever we ask in faith, and baptism of power. So, when troubles hit—sickness, lack, oppression—the question isn’t “How long can I endure?” but “How does God’s Word commend me to deal with it?” It commands me to destroy troubles, and by destroying the trouble I destroy the need for patience.

Look at James 1:2-4: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” Patience (perseverance) here isn’t the goal; it’s a tool toward maturity. But maturity in what? James doesn’t leave us hanging. Skip to chapter 5: “Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well” (James 5:14-15). See? The Bible’s ethic for everyday woes like illness isn’t endless patience—it’s faith-fueled eradication. Pray in faith, and the trouble vanishes. No need for patience when the mountain’s hurled into the sea (Mark 11:23).

Swinnock’s quote implies troubles are inevitable tutors we must outlast. But that’s defective metaphysics. Troubles aren’t God’s schoolmasters for the elect; Satan ministers sickness and curses (Luke 13:16, Acts 10:38), while God ministers healing and blessings through Christ’s atonement (Isaiah 53:4-5, Galatians 3:13-14). Jesus didn’t tell the bent-over woman, “Lengthen your patience to shorten your bondage.” He said Satan bound her, and as a daughter of Abraham, she must be set free; now! (Luke 13:16). Faith demands the promise; it doesn’t settle for mere endurance. Claiming God’s will for you is sickness, identifies you as His enemy, like the Philistines cursed with tumors (1 Samuel 5). No, insider status in Christ means we resist the devil and he flees (James 4:7)—troubles shorten by eviction, not endurance. The faithless don’t have God’s power to help them and so all they have is human power. All they can do is endure with patience.

This patience fetish is a hallmark of cessationist nonsense, those faith-fumblers who twist Scripture to excuse unbelief. They say, “Suffer patiently; it’s God’s refining fire.” But Jesus, the most God-centered man ever, said, “Your faith has healed you” (Mark 5:34). Jesus didn’t say, “Your patience will shorten it eventually.”

Blaming God’s promises for human failure is like doubting 2+2 because your teacher erred. God wants healing more than you do; He commands faith to grab it (Matthew 21:21). Patience? It’s applicable when waiting for “name it and claim it” to manifest. Like the centurion upgrading his miracle by faith in Jesus’ authority (Matthew 8:8-10).

If God promises healing on faith’s demand (premise), and you believe (premise), then healing follows necessarily (conclusion). Induction—observing unhealed folks and concluding “patience shortens troubles by grit and endurance”—is anti-logic, a non-sequitur.

 The centurion applied sovereignty not to endure but to command reality’s obedience. Peter applied election to Spirit baptism and miracles (Acts 2:38-39). Jesus applied predestination to answered prayers (John 15:7-8). James? Faith heals, period. Swinnock’s ethic inverts this: lengthen patience to shorten troubles. But biblical ethic: Shorten troubles by faith, and patience becomes irrelevant. It’s not good to be patient just to be patient—that’s masochism, not maturity. God doesn’t supply patience to prolong suffering; He supplies faith to end it. Because He loves us with covenant favor, He will always honor faith, with a fish for a fish, and a supernatural healing for a supernatural healing. Are you stranded in a dead alley? Dial God’s hotline by faith, and He will pick you up.

Don’t get me wrong: Persecution for the gospel? Endure patiently (Matthew 5:10-12). But everyday troubles—sickness, poverty, oppression? The Bible’s laser-focused on removal. Abraham’s blessing includes miracles and prosperity (Galatians 3:14); Psalm 91 promises safety from nightly terrors. Why patient endurance when faith commands mountains? Reality obeys you by faith. Swinnock’s way glorifies suffering; God’s way glorifies faith’s victory (John 15:8). Yes, you heard that right. God’s way glorifies the one with faith. The gospel was predestined for your glory. This glory happens when you ask and get the miracle you ask for. This glorifies you, and by this, it glorifies God.

In conclusion, Swinnock’s quote peddles a defective ethic, prioritizing human endurance over divine decree. The Bible’s maxim? “Believe, and you’ll receive” (Mark 11:24)—troubles shorten by annihilation. Patience is a bridge, not the destination; cross it with faith, and the need evaporates. God predestined us for this triumphant life, not stoic drudgery. If you’re in trouble, don’t lengthen patience, lengthen your faith.