patience

I don’t have much of that.  Definitely I won’t pray for patience as God might give me tough situations that will make me be really patient.  I’m sure you have heard this before, but “patience is a virtue”.  All of that is true, and patience is still something that often eludes me.

Galatians 5:22  NLT

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Patience is something that everyone needs, and far too often people point out the weakness in the lives of others around them rather than their strengths.  I have found that when we seek to be patient that we will see God work in wonderful ways.

Philippians 3:12  NLT

I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection.  But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.

I haven’t arrived, yet the older I get the more that patience plays a role in the way I deal with others and how I deal with myself.  If you are like me, you may have a tendency to get real excited when things are good or to sink very low when things are bad.  Patience and faith helps us maintain a smoother path or attitude.  There are fewer real highs and lows.

Patience will allow you to get through situations.  Patience will allow you to see through the toughest of times and the most difficult of people.  Patience will keep you from making rash or bad decisions and to help more people to be OK. 

My prayer is that I will have more patience with my family, more patience with the people I deal with daily and more patience in seeking to pursue what God has for me and the church that I lead.  That doesn’t mean that I wait on God or pursue Him less.  It means that I want the best God has for me, for my family and for the church He has entrusted to me.

I have lots of examples of how patience has paid off and made a great difference in my life even in the last few months.  I am excited when I see God work in the lives of the people around me.  Patience has allowed me to see marriages rebuilt and relationships healed.  Patience has allowed me to see people accept Jesus.  Patience is continuing to allow me and others to find more people who are seeking God and want to follow His lead each and every day.

Do you have patience?  Be honest.  Time builds patience.  Faith builds patience.  God puts character or fruit or strength in our lives as we lean on Him, and how awesome it is to watch God work as we practice patience.  Give it a try.  Let God work.

Philippians 4:6  NLT

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.  Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

NOTE:  this was first shared in May of 2013