Patience Honors God

We honor God when we worship Him in all our attitudes, affections, and actions—basically, from a sincere heart.

Are you patient and able to wait calmly during trials without becoming depressed, frustrated, or angry? With patience we can persevere through the difficult times of anxiety and worry. 

Make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. (2 Peter 1:5-7 NLT)

As a teenager, my mother would say, “Joan, you need to pray for patience,” but I would reply, “Why should I pray for something I don’t want?” She would always say, “Patience is how you behave while waiting!” Now, I realize that she wanted me to learn that patience is required because it is an attitude of humility, obedience, and love. 

Unfortunately, the impatient spirit was passed on to my daughter as well. My cousin asked me, “What is going on with her?” I told her that my daughter was irritated, depressed, troubled, and complained about everything. She was upset because she didn’t have a driver’s license and a car to go where she wanted with her friends. My cousin replied, “What?!” 

Well, the reason my daughter didn’t have a car and license during that time was because she was only 14 years old. This was obviously ridiculous and a lack of patience! Anyhow, I reaped what I had sown as a teenager. Now, just thinking about it seems humorous, but it felt like I was looking at a reflection of myself in a mirror.  

I admit that being patient isn’t easy. I have my agenda for when things should happen but sometimes get frustrated and annoyed when they don’t. 
As I am learning to be patient in small things, I am preparing myself to face larger trials with perseverance. My conduct and words must honor and glorify God, even during the midst of trials and testing.  

My deepest desire is to reflect the character of God—displaying the virtue of patience, which is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Patience comes when I’m truly surrendered to God’s Spirit working through me. I seek to do His will and accept His timing, trusting that He will fulfill all His promises to me.  

The greatest example of patience is God Himself. He is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent (2 Peter 3:9 NLT). Through the Holy Spirit’s power, we can show the same patience to others and in all of life’s circumstances. 

Are you struggling to honor God in your attitudes, affections, and actions? 

Heavenly Father, we thank You for the fruit of Your Holy Spirit. We give glory and honor to You when we demonstrate patience through our words and actions. Modeling and developing the character of Jesus and Your attributes brings the greatest honor. I humbly pray in the worthy and honorable name of Jesus. Amen! 

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Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.