When my kids were young we used to play a song for them about patience. As I recall, the words went something like this: “I can’t wait to have patience 'cause patience is a wonderful thing. Hurry up! Give it to me! Gotta have it now! I want it more than anything!”
Ever notice how when we pray for patience it seems like something invariably comes up that we must wait patiently for? After awhile, our tendency is to stop praying for patience because we get tired of having to exercise something we seem to have little of!
I contend that we err in asking God to give us something that we all have in varying degrees in the natural, but never seem to have enough of at any given moment. No matter how patient we are, or aren't, there will always be something that pushes our buttons and wears our patience thin!
I contend that we err in asking God to give us something that we all have in varying degrees in the natural, but never seem to have enough of at any given moment. No matter how patient we are, or aren't, there will always be something that pushes our buttons and wears our patience thin!
That’s why we need to ask the Lord for patience the right way.
Here's what I've learned. Jesus knew we could never have enough patience in the natural, so He offers us a patience that is beyond the natural and is, in fact, supernatural.
One day when reading the Bible I realized what my error was in praying for patience. Galatians 5:22, 23 tells us that the fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy peace, patience, etc. I came to the conclusion that if patience is produced by the Spirit of the Lord, then I should ask God for patience in a different way. I now ask him to produce in me, through His Spirit, that which I lack in the natural: in this case, patience.
One day when reading the Bible I realized what my error was in praying for patience. Galatians 5:22, 23 tells us that the fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy peace, patience, etc. I came to the conclusion that if patience is produced by the Spirit of the Lord, then I should ask God for patience in a different way. I now ask him to produce in me, through His Spirit, that which I lack in the natural: in this case, patience.
Guess what. He faithfully produces in me the patience I need.
-Steve
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