I have to confess, I am not a very patient person. All it takes is 10 minutes of traffic for me to realize just how impatient I am. Can you relate? Impatience comes naturally. No one has to teach a toddler to be impatient and throw a tantrum because he or she is tired of waiting. Patience, on the other hand, is not natural. Patience takes time. It takes effort. It requires the work of the Holy Spirit to produce patience in us. Patience takes work and does not come easily, but it is the way Christ followers are called to live.
The apostle Paul urged readers to live with patience in Ephesians 4. In this passage of Scripture, he urged followers of Christ to live a lifestyle that was worthy of their calling from God (verse 1). Then, he gave examples of what that lifestyle looks like. He wrote, “always be humble and gentle” (verse 2). Next, he continued, saying, “Be patient with each other” (verse 2). In case anyone wondered what it looks like to show patience, Paul explained that patience is, “making allowance for each other’s faults” (verse 2). Part of showing patience is understanding that we are imperfect human beings. We make mistakes. Our abilities and skills will fall short, and so will the abilities and skills of others. Being patient with each other means understanding that imperfections and mistakes will occur in our relationships with others and showing compassion and understanding when these faults are revealed. Why should Christ followers be patient? Paul explained that Christ followers are called to show patience out of love. When we place our love for others at the center of our relationships, patience comes more easily. We are able to show compassion and understanding instead of impatience and anger that might occur.
How are you doing when it comes to patience? Are you struggling to live patiently, always finding yourself frustrated with the faults of others? Every person has room to grow in patience. Let’s choose today to focus on becoming more patient with the people around us, letting our love for God and for others be the anchor that helps us choose patience over impatience, anger, and frustration. When moments that tempt us to be impatient arise, may we remember that those we feel impatient toward are loved by us and by God. We have a God who is infinitely patient with us. May we extend patience toward others in light of the great patience that He has shown us.
Take some time right now to pray for patience. Ask God to develop patience in all areas of your life. Ask Him to replace your impatience with His supernatural patience. As you go throughout your day, look for ways to practice patience so that you will grow in the patience that only comes from Him.
Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. 4 For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.
5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 one God and Father of all,
who is over all, in all, and living through all.
7 However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ. 8 That is why the Scriptures say,
“When he ascended to the heights,
he led a crowd of captives
and gave gifts to his people.”
9 Notice that it says “he ascended.” This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world. 10 And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself.
