The Practice of Patience
We are all familiar with the common saying, “Patience is a Virtue,” and we’ve probably been told it a time or two by our parents, spouses, or perhaps coworkers. With my Type A-Git ‘R Done internal wiring, patience is something that I constantly struggle with. Many times I feel like I am on step one of the twelve-step program when it comes to patience -- I now recognize I have a patience problem.
A big problem for me is that sometimes, as I am waiting on the Lord to give me direction or help me discern the right option when faced with an important decision, I decide that He needs my help to advance the ball a bit while I am waiting on His direction to me, so I will go ahead and take a few steps towards what I really want the answer to be. Big Mistake!!! Every time I do that, I get myself into a huge mess! Instead, I should wait and trust in the Lord that He has this!
Not only is it important to cultivate a position of patience for our wellbeing and to be kind to and patient with those around us, but also to understand what the Bible has to say about this virtue. Jesus was the ultimate example of patience, and we need to reflect more of that to others. Time and time again through His interactions with people, Jesus exhibited a patient spirit rather than getting frustrated with them. We should seek to model His actions and strive to reflect patience to others each day.
Next time you find yourself about to have a patience problem, remember and be encouraged by these Scriptures that have helped me refocus when I begin to feel my patience wearing thin:
Exodus 14:14 (NIV): “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
Psalm 5:3 (NIV): “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.”
Psalm 27:14 (NIV): “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”
Psalm 37:7 (NIV): “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways when they carry out their wicked schemes.”
Proverbs 14:29 (NIV): “Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.”
Proverbs 16:32 (NIV): “Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.”
Isaiah 30:18 (NIV): “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore He will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him!”
Romans 5:3-5 (NIV): “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
Romans 8:25 (NIV): “But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”
Galatians 6:9 (NIV): “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Ephesians 4:2 (NIV): “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”
James 1:2-4 (NIV): “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.”
James 5:7-8 (NIV): “Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You, too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.”
Like most good things, living with patience takes time and requires practice and trust in the Lord. Through spending time in scripture that points us toward calmly and wisely handling the issues, inconveniences, and people that we encounter in our daily lives that may cause our patience problem to surface, we hopefully can be more aware of the way we are carrying ourselves and impacting the people around us.