Beautiful Word Devotional #49

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:9

A good way to see the Lord’s patience with us is to look back on our lives and see when and how he worked. At times we strayed from him. Sometimes we were indifferent to him. Even so, he pursued us.

Jesus wants us to be patient like he was when we consider the journeys of those we love. We must be patient when our loved ones are straying or indifferent. We can pray that God brings them to the point of repentance.

If you’re discouraged about a loved one’s journey, remember two things. First, you cannot make a person repent. That is one of the Holy Spirit’s jobs. Second—as today’s verse says—God is not slow in keeping his promise to your loved ones. He is wooing them. He is patient. Trust that he loves your loved ones far more than you do.

Lord, I surrender my loved ones to you. I trust you to be patient with them as you invite them to repentance, amen.