Day 4 of our guest blog series by Debra continues, but this is where it gets hard. How is God working in you to produce His fruit?
Today’s focus is on Patience from the Holy Spirit. When I first think of patience, I think of having to wait a looong time for something to happen, and not liking it! As I read these Bible verses today, I learned that it can have some other meanings too.
Patience: quiet, steady perseverance; even-tempered care; diligence
Colossians 3:12 “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”
1 Corinthians 13:4 “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.”
Ephesians 4:2 “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”
1 Thessalonians 5:14 “And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.”
Patience: the quality of being patient, as the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like.
Proverbs 14:29 “A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly.”
Proverbs 15:18 “A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel.”
Romans 12:12 “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
Psalm 40:1 “I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.”
Patience: an ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay.
James 5:7 “Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming.”
James 5:8 “You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.”
Our challenge then, is to be patient with others, patient in tough situations, and patient waiting for Christ to return to take those who believe in Him to Heaven with Him. I am so ready to be in Heaven, but am definitely choosing to be patient and wait until He is ready for me to be there.
We need to evaluate our patience level and make sure that we are being patient while waiting on God to act on our behalf too. Sometimes that is the hardest part for me. I want to see immediate answers to my prayers! I am challenged in the waiting process to be patient and allow God to work as He knows best and in His time. A good example of waiting on God would be the promise from God to Abraham that he would be the “father of nations.” He waited 25 years for God to give him the son that would begin that process. 25 YEARS! That’s a long time! And God waited until it was impossible for that son to be born in any other way except for His miraculous work in the womb of Abraham’s wife, Sarah. I want to be patient enough to see God work miracles.
Love,
Debra