Fruit of the Spirit Pt. 2 - Week 2, Day 2

Day 2: Pray, Think, Talk! (Patience Develops Faith)

I like this definition of patience: Patience is the ability to put up with other people even when it is not easy to do.

The Bible teaches us over and over again about how patient God has been with you and me. Has He treated you as you deserve? Has He condemned you for all of your shortcomings and mistakes, or has He forgiven you and given you second chance after second chance?

The world would be a much different place if God treated us the way we treat others. That would be scary.

Jesus was so patient with those around him. He was patient with the disciples. You have to know it tested the patience of Jesus hearing Peter put his foot in his mouth over and over again, and yet He was patient with him.

How about James and John? Their tempers and lack of patience are well documented. Yet Jesus showed them how to be patient with others. Jesus was even patient with his enemies. Remember Judas? Even to the very end, when Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss, Jesus continued to reach out to him.

He even showed his patience with those who tried to discredit and destroy Him. Sometimes we think we are justified to lose our cool because something didn’t happen the way we thought it should, or in our particular timing.

Ephesians 4:2 (NLT) says, Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love.

Let me share with you two more things that will help you to become a more patient person.

THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK.

You must have perspective before you can have patience. Why is this person acting this way? Why are they saying the things they are saying? Are they insecure? Are they just mean, or is there something more going on here? When you decide to understand where this is coming from it might help you to be more patient with that person. Before you open your mouth to respond, think about what you are going to say to them first, because once the words fly out of your mouth you can’t get them back again.

I can’t even tell you the number of times I have opened my mouth, and as soon as I said what I said I wanted to take those words back again. Once those words are out of your mouth they can’t be unsaid. Slow down and think about how to say the right thing in the right way so that you help the other person, and not hurt the other person.

PRAY BEFORE YOU PANIC.

If you could get patience on your own you would already have it. Patience is supernatural. Think about it. It’s a whole lot easier to go off on everyone than it is to be calm and patient with others. The only way we are going to get patience is to ask for it, and that scares us because then God is going to put us in all kinds of situations to stretch us. That is the truth. God will put you in the slowest line to see how you respond. God will give you a friend that is hard to be patient with.

Bottom line: You are going to be in those situations whether you ask him for patience or not, so you might as well ask for His help.

When we pray we are admitting that this is an area of our life that we need help with. When we pray we are giving the control, the situation, and the outcome over to God. What we are saying is “God your ways are higher and greater than mine, and I don’t understand why I find myself in this situation. I trust you to develop in me all that You desire to develop.”

When we pray we must always be sure that we are praying for His will to be done. The reason we get impatient is because we feel like life has not turned out the way we planned or dreamed about. As a Christian, we must always come back to the conclusion that this is not about us. It is not about what we want, but it is all about what He wants. It is all about Him. My job is to make God my primary concern. He says in Matthew 6:33, …and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for Him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.

I know it is hard, and I understand that this waiting room doesn’t make any sense…but God is faithful. Trust Him and your patience will develop your faith.

Time Out:

This weekend I want you to pray for three people or situations where you tend to lose your cool. I want you to ask God to help and empower you to be a patient person with those people and situations. Write down below the three people or situations, and spend a few moments praying to God about each one.