The Power of Patience

Deep down, we know that waiting and having patience is a good thing. But just because something is good for us, it doesn't mean that we want it. That’s especially true when, in order to develop patience, it means we’ll be involved in long-term, character testing, faith-walking, endurance-stretching waiting. Not too many of us want to do that just because it’s “good” for us!

Please read, glean through, and apply what the LORD personally shows you.

The apostle Paul tells us that patience is one of the fruits of the Spirit. In other words, patience is a byproduct of the LORD's work within us. He describes it as ‘long-suffering’ (Galatians 5:22), a word that, according to Webster’s dictionary, means ‘long and patient enduring of trouble, or provocation.

Can you think of a marriage/relationship that doesn't require ‘long-suffering’? The truth is, we can’t have patience without the waiting. But just because we’re waiting doesn't necessarily mean we have patience. It’s HOW we wait in marriage/relationship that’s most important. Do we wait with a good attitude?

Grow your faith. Patience means working on growing deeper in your relationship with the LORD, especially when it appears that the only thing growing deeper in your life is the divide between you and your spouse. Patience means remembering that it could be worse [except in cases of abuse], and deliberately looking for the good in the other person.

Patience means expressing the positive when you want to point out the negative. It’s deciding to overlook some irritating things and, instead, think about the eternal future set before you. This means knowing that because you didn’t divorce when you considered it, but determined to be patient instead, your whole family can now celebrate holidays and birthdays and life together.

The most important reason of all to pursue patience is that it’s one of the LORD's attributes. When we’re patient, we’re more like him. The apostle James writes that the testing of our faith produces patience, and patience perfects us and makes us complete so that we lack nothing (James 1:2-4). So each time you find yourself in a situation where you have to make yourself pursue patience, try to think about how godlike you’re becoming. The Father would be proud!

Shahlohm..