The fruit of patience is empowering. It keeps you from damaging your relationships and speaking out of emotion. It can save relationships and friendships.
Patience isn’t passive, it’s very active! Patience is preserving in your faith, which means you aren’t letting anything, or anyone talk you out of what you’re believing for. While you're waiting, you must obey God’s commands all along the way. Patience keeps the other fruits of the spirit working so that even when we’re under pressure, we don’t give up and quit.
- Patience is defined in the dictionary as “the quality that does not surrender to circumstances or succumb under trial”.
Paul reminds us that we are to be filled with patience and bear with one another in love. Conflict and tension exist. Put up with one another. Show patience. Pray and ask God to give you patience at that moment and respond with love and kindness.
Jesus was always relaxed and never in a hurry. He wasn’t afraid to slow down. This is a perfect model we should follow when it comes to being patient.
Keys Factors of Patience
1. Love + Joy + Faith + Patience= are all connected. If one is missing, the others won’t work right.
2. Patience springs from love (1 Corinthians 13:4)
3. To have patience that fuels faith, I have to be walking in love and showing patience to others.
4. Your life should reflect the following:
. I do not snap at people when they frustrate me
. I don’t make critical or rude remarks to others
. I am not easily angered
. I assume the best about others
. I don’t respond impatiently in store or on the road
. I am a patient parent
. I don’t become frustrated by the passing of too much time
. I don’t expect Christians to be perfect. I have patience with their growth
. If I’m struggling with patience I am struggling with love.
. If I don’t have patience working in me, I am not going to reveal a Christ like image to the world.
Exercise
When someone makes a mistake, how do you respond?
Reminder to myself when I’m about to lose my cool:
1. I’M NOT PERFECT
2. GOD IS PATIENT WITH ME
3. I MESS UP AND YET GOD LOVES AND FORGIVES ME
4. GOD RESCUED ME FROM SIN
Ways to Practice Patience
1. Choose the longest line in the store.
2. Walk at a slower pace, take your time.
3. Drive the speed limit.
4. Turn your phone on do not disturb for a day.
Prayer: Dear God, I seriously feel like I can do anything. Everything that I am putting my mind to seems to just flow and I know that’s all because of you King Jesus. The things that normally would have me nervous about trying or stepping into, I now take small action steps of Faith with boldness and confidence because I know that you are with me every step of the way. I’m excited about what is to come in my life. I’m excited to watch how favor chases me down in everything that I do. I’m excited to watch how overflow begins to pour into my lap, that’s pressed down, shaken together, and running over. But Father God, I ask that as the excitement continues to rise daily from the expectancy of your blessings, help me to remain patient for it. Your word says, “be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made know to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7) So I am grateful that my excitement is here, but I will make sure that I focus not on just receiving the blessing but remembering that obedience brings the blessing. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.
Scripture Reference
Proverbs 14:29 Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.
Proverbs 16:32 Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.
Ephesians 4:1-3 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
Colossians 3:13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Hebrews 6:12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.