Patience…what does it look like?
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 26: PATIENCE”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
Patience is a fruit of the Spirit and expression of God’s love. Like every gift of God we want to enjoy the gift ourselves, but also put that gift to work. So what does patience look like as God’s Spirit works in us. Here are five ways:
- Patience is evidence of wisdom instead of exhibition of folly.
Proverbs 14:29 A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly.
How many times have we found ourselves the fool as we reacted without all the information, did something stupid in an emotional reaction that affected our life for a long period of time. Patience allows one to pause before emotionally reacting. Patience gives time to gain perspective than react to a situation. Patience enables us to assess before acting.
- Patience is the willingness to wait when our impulse is to act.
Proverbs 16:32 32 Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.
James 1:19-21 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
It is so easy to want to emotionally react or to deal with a situation swiftly. Patience is the answer when we are tempted to lash out in anger.
- Patience is allowing God’s plan to prevail when our plan seems better.
Romans 8:22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
Like we shared yesterday, God’s perspective is eternal. We want things to happen now, but God’s plan is at work. Patience is an exhibition of trust that God’s timing is always best and his plan is always for our eternal benefit.
- Patience is an exhibition of love. (1 Corinthians 13:4 “Love is patient”)
Ephesians 4:2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Patience is “bearing” with one another. It is not easy. We experience the hurt. We experience feelings of injustice. Patience allows time for God to work spiritual growth in others and in us. Patience allows us to show love instead of anger or frustration.
- Patience enables me to be part of the solution, rather than part of the problem.
1 Thessalonians 5:14 And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.
Impatience can come from feeling the victim. I believe this comment by a Rabbi Jacob Staub commenting on the Hebrew word for patience and a situation where an individual had wronged him:
Reflecting back on the experience, I learn that by bearing the pain caused by another without swinging back, I can also be empowered. As long as I feel like an injured victim, I will either express my anger or to suppress it. But if I’m able to see myself as an agent who can change a situation, I have another choice—to act out of care and love, reaching out to reconnect and heal.
We all have opportunity to grow in patience. I pray God continues to give us situations to grow in and exhibit patience, and the Spirit given gift of patience to meet those opportunities!
Apply: Which of these five present the greatest opportunity for growth in your life?
Prayer: Lord, thank you for your incredible patience to show forgiveness for my many exhibitions of impatience. Grant me an extra measure of your Spirit to grow the gift of patience in my heart and life. AMEN.
Patience…starts with the Lord (Part 2)
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 26: PATIENCE”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
Why is God so patient?
Perspective.
We “lose patience” because in the immediate moment, whatever the interruption into our plan causes frustration and even anger.
Traffic “causes” us to be late.
An illness lays us out for a week, year, or more.
Death of a loved one changes our plans.
An injury cuts short a lifelong dream.
And we ask “Why, Lord?”
Remember, patience is “the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset.” But sometimes we are really stretched. Because we don’t want to be long-suffering, we don’t want the suffering to last long.
And so we struggle.
Buy why can God be patient?
God is patient because he holds the long perspective.
Remember the verse from yesterday: 2 Peter 3:8-9 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Comments from the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament on the Greek word meaning “patience”: God’s patience does not overlook anything. It simply sees further than man. It has the end in view. It has the true insight which knows best. It is not swayed by human emotions.
God’s goal is for us to spend an eternity with him in heaven.
So everything that happens in life is intended to draw us closer to him, strengthen our faith, and ensure we end up in heaven.
But we have to see things from God’s perspective…at least as best we can.
Here’s some promises that help:
Romans 8:28 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.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Isaiah 55: 8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
1 Peter 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
With the promises in mind and God’s perspective in heart, draw on HIS patience to be patient, long-suffering, in all circumstances.
Apply: What challenges you to keep the long-perspective, God’s perspective, when you are being challenged to be patient?
Prayer: Lord, thank you for always holding the eternal perspective on my life. Help me to trust your plan and perspective are always best as I navigate situations that challenge my patience. AMEN.
Patience…starts with the Lord (Part 1)
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 26: PATIENCE”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
Why is God so patient?
Or, maybe we phrase this…”God, why are you so slow?”
We see evil…we want God to take care of it NOW!
We suffer illness…we want God to end it NOW!
We experience hardship…we want God to change it NOW!
God, why are you so slow?
We often perceive God is not working on our time frame. We see an immediate need and desire an immediate response. We are not the first. People throughout the ages whose stories are recorded in Scripture wondered the same thing.
Here’s just a few examples: Moses wondering, “How long?”
Numbers 14:11 The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them?
King David in a time of challenge and suffering:
Psalm 6:3 My soul is in anguish. How long, O Lord, how long?
The prophet Jeremiah lamenting the disaster of Israel:
Jeremiah 4:20-21 Disaster follows disaster; the whole land lies in ruins. In an instant my tents are destroyed, my shelter in a moment. 21 How long must I see the battle standard and hear the sound of the trumpet?
We think God is slow…But God is being patient…but why?
2 Peter 3:8-9 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
God is patient because he doesn’t want anyone to perish.
God’s story is a story of patience. As soon as anyone sins, God has a right in his justice to strike us dead and send us to hell, immediately. Yet he doesn’t. Why?
In reading explanation for the word μακροθυμεῖν in the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, I found these interesting aspects of patience that deepened my appreciation for God’s patience for me, for us.
In biblical usage, μακροθυμεῖν does not imply renunciation of the grounds for wrath. What it does mean is that alongside this wrath there is a divine restraint which postpones its operation until something takes place in man which justifies the postponement. If this new attitude does not eventuate, then wrath is fully visited
Patience is the tension between wrath and mercy. God restrains one’s wrath when he rightly has the ability to show it. He allows his grace and loving-kindness to rule. God was willing to wait with punishing sin until he laid all sin of all people on his Son Jesus. This connection to the payment of Jesus changes a person’s standing with God. As a result? They come to repentance and don’t perish.
God’s heart gives people a time on this earth to come to know Jesus. We may think God is slow, but in reality he is showing mercy by being patient.
Just like he did for you and me.
Apply: When have you seen the patience of God allow for the repentance and faith of another (your faith story may be that answer!)
Prayer: Lord, thank you for your patience. While I don’t always understand it, I understand your heart is to give people time to repent and turn to you for forgiveness and eternal life. AMEN.
Patience…Why is it so hard?
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 26: PATIENCE”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
Why is patience so hard?
I don’t know a person who struggles with patience. Even people we know who are “the most patient people on earth” or “have the patience of Job” struggle with patience. They may be better at it or maybe just have had more opportunities to practice patience.
So why is patience so hard? What follow are five reasons. They are not excuses for impatience. They are not trying to make impatience right or sugar coat it…just lay out why patience can be such a struggle for us…especially in America.
- No need to be. Inventions give us things quickly. Want an example? I typed “impatience” into google and I got 104 million results in .46 seconds. Why should I spend time in a library looking up books? Scrolling through microfilm on the topic or even cracking a concordance to find passages that talk about patience or impatience when I can get 104 million pieces of information in less than half a second? Our society prides itself in giving us things faster (think…same day delivery from Amazon, microwaves, drive through restaurants). Innovation comes online every day that make things easier and faster. We are working as a society to remove the need for patience!
- No margin – When our days are so full with work, school, taxi service, tasks, and more we don’t have time to wait. I can’t spare a minute to wait for food. I can’t wait for a person in line in front of me. I can’t wait in traffic. Really everyone should know my agenda and schedule is what is most important today…and move out of my way!
- No results – I diet for a day and the scale is a pound heavier than the day before. I tried to quit smoking for an hour, but had to have smoke because of the stress of not smoking. I’ve studied more than my classmates, but not getting the grade. I’ve worked harder than others, but don’t have the success they do. Our instant gratification society tells us we don’t have to put in the consistent long work to achieve a result…we should have it NOW!
- No response – This is more spiritual in nature. Remember how patience means “long suffering” Sometimes we just get tired of waiting on the Lord. Perhaps we’ve prayed about it for days, months, years…nothing changes. No response leads us to think God doesn’t care, isn’t going to answer or just doesn’t have time for me. Here’s a few examples from the Psalms that tell
Psalm 74:10 How long will the enemy mock you, O God?
Will the foe revile your name forever?
11 Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?
Take it from the folds of your garment and destroy them!
Psalm 13:1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and every day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?
- Finally, impatience comes because I have a sinful nature. My sinful nature is naturally selfish and desires the world to revolve around me at my timing – including God. So we quickly get angry and we don’t want to wait and we certainly don’t want to linger in suffering.
Lord forgive us.
The solution? You’ll have to wait…until tomorrow. But let me give you a hint, patience is a gift of the Spirit because it’s source is the Lord. The Lord’s patience is what will overcome our impatience!
Apply: Which of the five above triggers your impatience most?
Prayer: Lord we ask you to forgive us for our impatience and fill us with patience from your Spirit! AMEN.
Patience…what’s that???
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 26: PATIENCE”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
Patience…is a virtue.
“I can’t believe our food is taking so long. We ordered 5 minutes ago!”
“Would you hurry up? I don’t have all day!”
“See if google maps has a quicker route. All I see is brake lights.”
“I think they’re ghosting me.” “How long ago did you text them?” “Like a minute.”
“Those people came in after me and they are already done. What gives?”
“Be patient.” (Parent to child who wants to go to the park…now!)
Anyone here struggle with patience? Great. Come back tomorrow and we’ll address it.
We all struggle with patience. We don’t like to wait. There are reasons for that…which we will look at tomorrow, but perhaps first it’s important to ask, “What is patience?”
We “lose” it. We become “impatient.” But what is patience?
Here’s a few perspectives:
First the Oxford dictionary defines patience as this: “the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset.”
Second, one of the Hebrew phrases that is translated “patience” means “slow to flair the nostril.” Flaring the nostril was the picture one portrayed when they were angry. It is used of God and of people. So if one was “slow to flare the nostril” they were withholding their anger and giving people a chance to change their behavior and stave off the anger of God or the anger of another person.
Third, the Greek word means “long suffering.” Patience is not always easy. It can be VERY hard to wait for something. The time of waiting can be emotional suffering, spiritual challenge or even physical. Whenever suffering is involved, it makes sense that one would NOT want to linger in that state very long, but patience is lingering in a state of suffering for an indefinite period of time.
With these definitions of patience, it is no wonder that we don’t do patience very well on our own. Our emotions want to lash out in anger. Our survival instinct doesn’t want to linger in a state of suffering. So patience needs help outside of ourselves.
Which is why it is listed in Galatians 5:22 as a fruit of the Spirit. “The fruit of the Spirit is…patience.” We can not do the things of God (in this case, patience) without the Spirit of God. The great blessing in this too as we are called as God’s people to exhibit patience, we have the help of the Spirit of God to do that which God asks.
Patience is also a key characteristic of love. In fact it is listed first in Paul’s discussion of what love is in 1 Corinthians 13:4. “Love is patient.” As with so many things in the Scripture to which God calls us, patience is NOT about us. It is about another person or our relationship with God. When we are patient and avoid flaring the nostril, it is an expression of love, just like (as we will see in later devotions this week) God showed his love for us in his patience with us.
So do we pray for patience? I’ve heard people say, “Don’t pray for patience…God will give you opportunity to develop it!” So true…however, I will not discourage us to pray for patience as it is a gift of God, a fruit of his Spirit and a reflection of his love. I don’t know about you, but if it’s all that, I’d love more of it!
Apply: What areas of life are a trigger for impatience? Is it a trigger for anger? Or is it a desire not to suffer?
Prayer: Lord, we boldly pray for patience and we accept the situations you will give us to develop and mold patience within us. AMEN.