Patience is a Learned Trait

”And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:19

The true test of impatience is when you are around the people you care about most - those people you know so well, the ones you aren’t trying to impress by being on your best behavior, and the ones who are the easiest to get on your nerves. “Hurry up babe we are running late”, “I’ll just do it, you are taking too long”, “ughhh why can’t my child just walk across the street without getting distracted and slowing traffic down (as you grab his arm a bit more firm and drag him across the street)!!” We have all been there. When we talk about patience it can be something we easily become legalistic about though, just like any of the fruits of the spirit. Patience is a fruit of the spirit not so we can try to always be perfectly patient people, because let’s be honest, perfect patience like the patience Jesus had is quite the undertaking. However, we are still told to pursue patience because we have a God who is patient with us and calls us to do the same. We have a God who equips us with His word and through the indwelling work of the Holy Spirit. Because of the power we have been given, we are able to wage war against our sins and disbelief, and to run with perseverance, yes even in regards to patience. We are to recognize our lack of patience and desire to grow in it because of the example we have in Jesus’s life that was characterized by patience, love, and humility. 

In regards to patience, we must also understand that patience isn’t something we are born with. We all may have different ways of expressing our lack of patience or have different thresholds, but we are all sinners. Patience is not an emotion, but a learned trait, meaning we are held accountable when we are rude, or short-tempered, or angry due to our impatience. It is not the other person’s fault or the circumstance that was the culprit for your actions, but your own heart. We all have to work on believing what the Bible says about ourselves, and about God so we can humbly approach others and even ourselves with patience, humility, and grace and use the power of the Lord to combat our impatience.

The 3 qualities of a patient person: 

1. Understanding: One who understands their place in the world. That place being that God is in control not them, and that they are slave to Christ which is a blessing; That they are here to reflect God’s love and grace to others with full trust and dependency on God in all circumstances. 

2. Observant: One who has observed how our Father acts, through the Bible, and not only admires God but starts to emulate the same behaviors. 

 3. Empathetic: One who doesn’t assume things of others but in humility, bears with others and reveals God’s patience through their actions. 

Questions to Ponder: 

1. How does your impatience manifest itself: Anger? Annoyance? Sarcasm? Judgment? Discontentment?

2. In this past week where have you been lacking patience? 

3. Of the 3 qualities of a patient person, what quality or qualities do you find the most difficult to live out? 

Today’s Reading:

Philippians 4