Patience is a Virtue...

Patience is a gift from God that as Christians we should desire and ask Him for, if we are lacking it.

Yet today, patience seems to be an out-dated virtue, sadly missing within our fast, ready-to-go, modern cultures and yes, even from Christians.

Christians who complain if sermons extend longer than ten minutes.

Christians who curse children with awful names, due to their own impatience.

Christians who cause a scene if they have to wait longer than expected times.

Christians who take their love life into their own hands, rather than waiting upon The Lord.

Christians who dive straight into something without praying first and waiting for a response.

The world says to us, ‘Want it now?  Why wait?  Go and get it!’

Yet God says things like:

‘Be still and know that I am God.’ see Psalm 46:10

‘Be content in all circumstances.’ see Philippians 4:11-13

‘Be of good courage, wait upon The Lord.’ see Psalm 27:14

‘Those who wait upon The Lord shall renew their strength.’ Isaiah 40:31

‘Be patience for I am coming soon.’ see James 5:7-8

As Christians we need to remember that God is patience, and we are to be continually transforming more and more into the likeness of Christ!

Do we actually stop to consider the dangers of impatience?

Here’s just a snippet to get you thinking…

Re-bound Relationships

Wasted time pursuing our plans rather than God’s

Missed opportunities to share the Gospel

Less self-control

Impatient, selfish children

Anger, Rage, Sin

I am not going to tell you what to do with your life OR that I am ALWAYS patient…

Rather, I hope to make you stop and pause more so from now on, seeking The Lord’s will, rather than acting impulsively.  For when we don’t stop and take a breath, we can often dive into things which we later regret…

Remember some advice we’re given is NOT always from The Lord – even if it is a Christian person offering it.  Therefore, if you don’t have PEACE about a situation DON’T act!  Seek Him more about it.  One more day or a few won’t make a difference, truly.

There are so many dangers in our fast paced, self-seeking societies, and remember enemy will try to distract you from God’s good plan anyway he can – Be warned!

I know what it is like to WAIT…I really do…and I know how difficult this can be.

But please let me encourage you by saying that when we do chose to put The Lord first and wait, rather than reacting, we grow in His good gift of patience.  It may only be some time later, when we look back, that we SEE His hand at work in making us wait!

Be Patient!

In His service, Melanie…