Encouragement for Patience
DAY TWO
Patience
I felt like this was the perfect virtue to kick off our Christmas Countdown because. . . let’s face it . . . when you combine all the traditions, holiday to-do lists, and busy personal lives with students, end of course exams, holiday parties, and the anticipation of a break, well, I don’t care if you are Mother Teresa herself, PATIENCE is hard to come by.
Patience didn’t earn its role as a Fruit of the Spirit for nothing. In Patience, we learn restraint and perseverance; we learn to rely and trust in something other than ourselves. This is how we demonstrate our faith in a big, big God. Rather than rushing around doing things and fixing things on our own, we trust that the Lord will step in and that His plan is better than ours.
The Bible is filled with scriptures on patience. Story after story tells us of people enduring loooooong seasons of waiting on the Lord and all the blessings that follow as a result of their faith. I could write an entire book on waiting on the Lord and the value that lies in that. But being patient in the Lord is one thing . . . how do we handle being patient with other humans (especially tiny ones, or worse . . . TEENAGE ONES?! LOL!)?
How do you handle someone being rude to you? Or a kid that has pushed every button you have? How do you react when a teammate has hurt you? Or a parent sent you a completely ridiculous email?
How we react to these kinds of situations is a direct reflection of our hearts. That kid, that teammate, that parent, they might very well deserve someone putting them in their place. But isn’t that what’s expected in this world we live in? Isn’t it the status quo to stand up and speak up and declare to the whole world all the wrongs that have been done to us?
What if you’re reaction is different? What if, through Grace, you do the unexpected?
Here is yet another reason Patience is a virtue. Exercising Patience, when we have the choice of so many other actions and emotions, means that we are choosing GRACE. To me, the two go hand in hand. When you have the option to blow up on someone or put them in their place, but instead choose to step back and be patient, you are giving Grace.
And friends, Grace is what was born on that night so many years ago. Grace is what was given to us freely, no strings attached. In turn, it is something that we should openly accept and freely give to others.
Next time you find yourself at the end of your rope, find Patience. Step back, don’t react, and give God some time with your situation. Remember that when you are patient with someone or something, you are choosing Grace. You are choosing Jesus.
“Have patience, God isn’t finished yet.” Philippians 1:6
Dear God, grant me an extra dose of patience these next few weeks. When I am frustrated, help me to find calm. When I feel wronged, help me to remember that in you I find refuge, in you I find acceptance. Help me to always remember the Grace that's been extended to me so that I may in turn extend it to others. In your precious Son's Name I pray . . . Amen.
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