Faith Steps Patience

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But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23 English Standard Version (ESV)

Patience with ourselves.
Patience with others.
Patience with God.

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.

Psalm 103:8 New International Version (NIV)

Where do you need patience with yourself?

Love your neighbor as yourself.
(Who is our neighbor? Everyone!)

Mark 12:31(NIV)

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

1 Corinthians 13:4-5(NIV)

Patience gives your spouse permission to be human. It understands that everyone fails. When a mistake is made, it chooses to give them more time that they deserve to correct it. It gives you the ability to hold on during the rough times in your relationship rather than bailing out under the pressure.

Alex and Stephen Kendrick, The Love Dare

Where do you need patience with others?

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Come and see what the Lord has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he runs the shields with fire. He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Psalm 46 (NIV)

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Psalm 46:10 (NIV)

Patience goes hand-in-hand with waiting

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not grow faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and to be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:28-31 (NRSV) New Revised Standard Version

Where do you need to be patient and wait on the Lord?

If you’re serious about sanctification [getting ever closer to God], you can expect to experience heart-wrenching moments that try your faith, your endurance, and your patience.

Sheri Dew, If Life Were Easy, It Wouldn’t Be Hard: And Other Reassuring Truths