‘Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. ‘ – Colossians 3:12 NLT
Patience is one of a believer’s identity markers. It is exhibited when a person waits calmly for the fulfillment of a prophecy or a change in circumstance rather than taking any hasty action. Patience is synonymous with endurance, steadfastness, long-suffering, and perseverance.
As the Bible describes it, patience, as the fruit of the Spirit, is only truly possible through the influence of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God influences us to produce this virtue, which directly represents who our Father is (Galatians 4:6). In the book of Psalms, God is described as patient and merciful (Psalms 145:8-9). Similarly, we ought to be like our Father.
Aside from being an inherent ability made possible by the Spirit, there are practical ways we can train ourselves to be patient. Firstly, through prayer, we can make our requests known to God to help us be more like Him, just as Paul prayed for the church in Philippi to grow in the fruits of righteousness (Philippians 1:11).
Also, being slow to speak and quick to listen can help us grow in patience (James 1:19). When we are quick to listen, we learn to process our thoughts and respond better to situations or actions from others. In essence, praying and being slow to speak and quick to listen are practical ways to be patient.
Why, then, is growing in patience important? Learning to walk with God requires patience. In Psalms 40:1, David says he patiently waits for the Lord to help him. In our walk with God, His times and seasons often differ from our understanding (2 Peter 3:8, Psalms 90:4). Thus, in order not to miss the workings of God in our lives, we must be patient (Lamentations 3:26).
Finally, gaining the reward of our faith requires patience. Through faith and patience, the Israelites obtained the promise of rest, which symbolizes our rest from dead works and the hope of eternal life (Hebrews 4:9-11).
Dear believer, we must clothe ourselves with patience. This is what God expects from us.
SAY THIS: I wait patiently for the Lord to help me in every circumstance. I am slow to speak and quick to listen.
Bible Reading Plan: Nehemiah 12-13; Luke 20:1-19