This month’s theme is Patience. Patience is such a difficult characteristic to put into practice. So much so, that we thought of skipping this theme all together. See, the thing about patience is that it is something we all need and want, but none of us want to go through the difficult trials involved in producing patience (Amen?).
Patience is not something we are born with; it is a gift from the Holy Spirit.
Every parent who has been through the toddler phase has wished that both they and their child were born with patience. Dealing with the “I can do it myself” stage takes a boat load of patience. As adults, many of us still take the “l can do it myself” attitude with things that only God can handle. Thankfully, we have a loving and patient Heavenly Father that waits for us to hand over our problems.
A healthy, godly marriage also takes patience. When we say, “I do” God joins us together as husband and wife, but neither person knows exactly what they are doing. Each person must learn how to be a godly spouse while being patient with the other as they learn. We must pray for the Spirit to grant us patience as we grow together.
Solomon tells us in Ecc. 3:1, “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.” Right now we are in a time of waiting on the Lord to return. Patience is needed in this liminal space between Jesus’s resurrection and his return. As His disciples, we eagerly await the gift of eternal life with Jesus in heaven, and we have also been instructed to teach and be patient with difficult people (Titus 2:24-26).
This month, let us all pray for the Spirit to grant us patience to run the race well. For we know “that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1:3-4)