Patience is more than just a word. It’s an action of love toward others and an action of trusting in God. As I said yesterday patience is a word I have feared for years. I constantly struggled with putting that word into action and living it out in a way that reflects Christ’s example.
Just recently, I was sitting in an airport terminal waiting on a delayed flight for over two hours, I couldn’t help but notice how my patience fluctuates. Sometimes, I can sit, be still, and be fully reliant on God and His timing. Other times, I’m constantly looking at the clock and wondering, “When? Why not now?”
We all have our own individual spiritual gifts. Yours may be leadership, showing grace, teaching, or anything like that. Many forget that being patient is a spiritual gift. I believe it is more an act of love as well as a spiritual gift. For, in 1 Corinthians 13:4, we read, “Love is patient, love is kind…” Although this is just a piece of the entire chapter which goes on to talk more about love in action, we can see just how important patience is within the first three words of this verse. Love is patient. While being patient, we should be loving others.
My solution to becoming more patient and overcoming my impatience is to answer the three questions two of which were stated earlier: When? Why not now? And do I love deep enough? The answer to them all is, “God knows.” This suggests the key to being patient is faith, trust, and love for God.
Today I declare patience is more than just a word. It’s an action of love toward others and an action of trusting in God. It is also something that is not always easy to develop. It’s developed over time – a process. Don’t feel stressed or pressured to immediately go out and try and fix your patience- experience, time, practice, and God’s help are the only things that can truly develop your patience. Please be patient while developing your patience.
Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. James 5:7
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank you for being patient with me. Grant me the virtue of patience. I pray that it may mellow me and make me less irritable. Father may I be broad in my forgiveness, and never narrow, proud or overbearing. God, may no one be worse off for having come within my influence, no one less pure, or less noble and may my love and God-given patience lead to eternal life in Christ’s name, Amen!
