“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Colossians 3:12-13 (NIV)
When I was growing up, my mom frequently reminded me, “Patience is a virtue.” I am pretty sure she told me this so often because, well…I am less than patient when waiting for things to happen. Maybe you can relate?
I once read a funny social media post that joked about how most husbands know when their wives ask them to do something, when they get time; she means they should do it now. I laughed. But then I realized I was the impatient wife it was referring to. Once, I asked my husband to sell his old car. He knew I would be impatient, so he immediately looked up the value online. But much to my annoyance, it sat in the driveway for the next three months. Finally, when my patience ran thin, I demanded that he remove it from our driveway. So, he took it to the dealer. However, he wore a big, satisfied grin when he came home. He held up the check and said, “Guess it pays to be patient. The value went up $3,000 over the last few months.”
Perhaps I am not the only one who struggles with patience because the Bible frequently teaches us to be patient or persevere. “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Colossians 3:12-13, NIV).
The Bible also informs us that patience is vital to our spiritual growth and relationship with God. When we cultivate patience, we become more like Christ. Then, we can demonstrate his unconditional and patient love to the world. And, “With love and patience, nothing is impossible.” — Daisaku Ikeda
How can we cultivate patience in our daily lives?
Pursue the Lord. When we pursue the Lord, He will give us the grace to persevere. “So, my child, draw your strength from the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:1, CEB).
Put your hope in God to meet your needs. Some things just take time. However, we can pray, put our hope in God, and trust Him to meet our needs according to his good plans.
“For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:24-28, NIV)
Lean into the Holy Spirit and His prompting. When we feel impatient, we can slow down, listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit, and follow His promptings. Then, we will be able to experience His fruit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23, NIV).
Trust God, even during difficult times. When we trust God, He will work on our behalf and use the experience to mature and perfect us. “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:3-4, NKJV).
Leave Judgement to God. If people say or do things that prompt an immediate response before we think through the ramifications, we can remain still and trust God’s justice. “For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!” (Isaiah 30:18, NIV).
Trust God’s Timing. Even when we’ve prayed without seeing results, we can continue to pray and trust God. If our prayer is God’s will, He will make it happen according to His perfect timing. God can do anything in anybody at any time. “The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the person who seeks him” (Lamentations 3:25, CSB).
Dear Heavenly Father, Please help me to pray and trust in Your justice, perfect will, and timing when I am tempted to act or speak impatiently, doing things that may not be in my best interest. Help me to pursue You and listen to Your Holy Spirit before I act. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
