Be Patient
When I was a child, there was a popular children's musical called, "The Music Machine." Two children find a music machine that produces songs about the fruit of the Spirit. Long-suffering (or patience) was illustrated in song by a bass-voiced snail named Herbert.
Be patient, Be patient
Don't be in such a hurry.
When you get impatient,
You only start to worry.
Remember, Remember
That God is patient, too,
And think of all the times
That others had to wait for you!
Singing the song is easy, in fact, catchy. But living the song is much harder. I've been thinking about patience for the past week, because someone shared with me a word from the Lord that I needed to be patient. The Scripture says in James 1, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." The King James version says "patience" instead of perseverance, but the two concepts are closely related.
Paul agreed with James, because in Romans 5:3-5, he says "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."
It's hard for me to hear someone else tell me to be patient. That's not the word from the Lord that I most want to hear, even though it's obviously what I most need to hear. I'm thankful that God knows my personality; He knows I need the exhortation or else I'll react foolishly to difficult situations. Of all the fruit of the Holy Spirit, patience is probably one of my weakest points.
All human wisdom is summed up in two words--wait and hope (Alexandre Dumas). For now, maintaining patience and hope is my goal.
Be patient, Be patient
Don't be in such a hurry.
When you get impatient,
You only start to worry.
Remember, Remember
That God is patient, too,
And think of all the times
That others had to wait for you!
Singing the song is easy, in fact, catchy. But living the song is much harder. I've been thinking about patience for the past week, because someone shared with me a word from the Lord that I needed to be patient. The Scripture says in James 1, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." The King James version says "patience" instead of perseverance, but the two concepts are closely related.
Paul agreed with James, because in Romans 5:3-5, he says "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."
It's hard for me to hear someone else tell me to be patient. That's not the word from the Lord that I most want to hear, even though it's obviously what I most need to hear. I'm thankful that God knows my personality; He knows I need the exhortation or else I'll react foolishly to difficult situations. Of all the fruit of the Holy Spirit, patience is probably one of my weakest points.
All human wisdom is summed up in two words--wait and hope (Alexandre Dumas). For now, maintaining patience and hope is my goal.
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