'Lord, grant me patience' is a sentence that is said daily, especially when we encounter difficulties with someone or something. Patience is considered a virtue, but it's a characteristic that many of us lack. We encounter daily situations that require patience to trust God and to endure or keep ourselves from trouble.
Patience with others
There's a meme that states, "Lord, give me patience because if you give me strength, I'll need bail money too."
Patience doesn't always come easily, especially when dealing with others. We all have different personalities that cause clashes at times. Some of us have to be around people who make our lives difficult, whether in different social or professional situations. Despite what they do or how they make us feel, the Bible requires us to be patient with them.
We are directed to be patient with everyone. "And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone" ( 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 14).
The Bible also instructed us to be patient and forgive each other. "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."
God requires us to love each other, and an aspect of loving others is being patient with them. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud" (1 Corinthians chapter 13 verse 4). Patience comes from the Greek word makrothumeo, which means to be long-tempered. When one exercises this form of patience, they refuse to retaliate in anger.
Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord comes. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near (James chapter 5 verses 7-8).
To reap high-quality crops, the farmer must wait for a while. While waiting in anticipation, he has to do things necessary for the crops' growth. Similarly, while we wait on God, we must endure interpersonal hardships and rely on his word until he delivers us.
Patience in waiting on God
One of the most complex parts of waiting for me is when I'm praying for something, and I can't see it happening within the time frame I had in mind. I often become impatient or anxious, wondering if my prayers will be answered.
Some of you may have had similar situations. However, when we start to wonder when God will come through for us, it removes trust from the situation and leaves room for doubt, leading to worry and fear.
God is our protector, provider, healer, and so much more. He can do more than we can even fathom. When we pray, let us trust in the power of our almighty God.
"For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly." (Psalm chapter 84 verse 11). When we wait, we must also ensure that what we are waiting for is within God's will and trust that he knows best when it isn't.
"But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." ( Isaiah chapter 40 verse 31).
How do we exercise patience?
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law. (Galatians chapter 5 verses 22-23).
The Holy Spirit resides in us who believe and have accepted Jesus Christ as our saviour. Patience is a fruit of the spirit. Hence having the spirit of God means we have patience.
However, the spirit and the flesh are constantly at war. It is our human nature to doubt and to be impatient. When we allow the flesh to rule our lives, we quench the works of the Holy Spirit.We must allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives to live how God wants us to. One way to do this is by spending time in his presence and constantly feeding on the word of God.
If we struggle with patience, let us genuinely pray to God and ask for it. Let us also ask for wisdom to handle everyday situations that arise. "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you" (James chapter 1 verse 5).