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Patience
Have you ever been waiting on something, but you just can’t stop thinking about it? You just bought something off of Amazon, and you can’t wait for it to be here. Then the day it’s supposed to arrive you check every hour until it comes. But then you become a little more impatient each minute. Well that example is more for the kids because I know that I do that. Except I ask my mom, “Is it here yet? When is coming? Is it here yet?” Today we’re going to touch on something sort of like that. We’re going to talk about patience. Specifically, patience when we’re angry, patience with others, and patience with ourselves.
Sometimes I get mad at my siblings and all my patience just wears down. At that point, they are just annoying. And anything they say just annoys me. Then I lash out and retaliate. But at that point, I’m also in the wrong. We need to be able to overcome these trials.
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
Romans 12.12
We should be grateful that God has given us patience. We should also go to God more in prayer for the problems that we have. We need to ask Him for help when we’re mad too. Because when we’re mad, our patience is just thrown out the window. When we are angry, we act foolishly.
Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.
Proverbs 14.29
As I said before when we’re angry we act foolishly. When we have a bad temper, we are not that fun to be around. Patience can keep you from this anger. There is a time when we need to be angry though. Like when Jesus was angry at the men who were selling sacrifices at the synagogue. And there is a time when we’re angry for no reason. Like when your brother takes the last ice cream cone in the freezer and puts the box back. (You know who you are Ameer.)
Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.
Ephesians 4.26-27
This means when we get mad, we allow the devil to strike. Recently I signed up for kickboxing. And the first thing they teach you is to keep your hands up so that they don’t punch you in the face. So, I picture that you always want to keep your hands up and be on guard. And you don’t want the devil to strike you. Because if he gets enough hits in, then K.O. You’re out. But through God, we can rise to fight again. In other words, stay calm and rely on God.
We should also have patience with others. You could be doing a group project with another student, and your partner isn’t doing the work they should. And you lose patience with them and get mad at them. And you worry more about them. Then you end up getting nothing done because you’re only worried about your partner and not your own work.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5.22-23
Why do I mention this verse? Because we have to have all the fruits of the spirit. Patience is one of the fruits. But so is peace. To me, peace and patience work hand and hand. Because without peace with someone, you are going to have no patience with them.
Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
Hebrews 12.14
So, we should strive to be patient with others because if we’re not, we are not Godlike. God also tells us to have love. But why love specifically? Because with love comes patience.
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant
1 Corinthians 13.4
Love is mentioned 541 times in the Bible (according to Google. I’m not personally counting every time it says “love” in the Bible). We should love one another though. Because with patience comes peace and love. And without love, we are but empty vessels. We each have souls that God wants to save, but He saves us through love. Earthly things are temporary, but love lives forever. In other words, the Lord is patient with you. So do the same to others.
Finally, we should have patience with ourselves. I have been watching these movies called Pirates of the Caribbean (I love them. 10 out of 10). And in one of the movies the main character, Jack Sparrow, tries to live forever. He’s trying to become immortal. In the second movie, he’s talking to his dad about living forever. And his dad tells him living forever is good and all, but the real trick is living forever with yourself. In this context, we should be patient. We should love ourselves and put to death the things that weigh us down.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Hebrews 12.1
So, we all have sins and struggles in our lives. But we must be patient so that God can help us do better. We have to be long-suffering towards God. And we must live freely through God. We need to learn to love and be patient with everyone, including ourselves. If we don’t love ourselves, we can’t live with ourselves. Which doesn’t make us very patient people at all. We have to come up from good, godly soil.
As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.
Luke 8.15
We have to be honest with ourselves. Are we truly patient? Are we really kind? Are we truly loving? These are all questions you should ask yourself if you want be children ofGod. If you want to spread the light across this world of darkness.
Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
James 5.7-8
We have to have patience with ourselves. We can’t just speed up the process. The process takes time. So, trust in God and lay down your troubles. In other words, learn to be patient for the Lord is coming.
Are you patiently waiting for our Creator to come down from heaven, and take us all with Him to His pearly gates? Or are you impatient? Have you been brought up from bad soil and are not ready for the coming?
God is patient with us. So, we should be patient towards Him and with others.
