Putting On Patience

Ruth

As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

—Colossians 3:12

I can still hear my grandmother’s voice echoing in my ear, “Patience is a virtue, Ruthie!” It didn’t matter what we were doing: Cooking in the kitchen. Assembling a puzzle. Driving to the swimming club. My tendency toward impatience was always met with her gentle reminder that patience is of great value.

In the New Testament, we are often encouraged to “be patient” (Ephesians 4:2). In Colossians 3:12, the apostle Paul described the Christian life like clothing with some character qualities, attitudes, and actions we are to discard like an old garment. Instead, we are to “clothe” ourselves with something better, more beautiful. “Clothe yourselves,” he wrote, with “patience” (v. 12).

Patience enables us to respond to all life throws at us in a God-honoring way. Our circumstances often reveal our hearts’ sinful tendencies and desires. Sometimes our impatience can reveal our pride, need for control, need to be right, or lack of faith that God is good and faithful.

We have patience, or respond in a God-honoring way, when we are slow to anger. When we are willing to forgive, make room for one another’s faults, and wait in hope for God to come through (Psalm 33:20–21). When we are unsure of God’s faithfulness and wise involvement in our lives, we will have no patience.

Where are you struggling to be patient? How is God using your circumstances to reveal what is really going on in your heart?

As God continues to grow us and change us from the inside out, He produces in us “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22–23). Our goal is to reflect who God is. He is a God who is slow to anger and abounding in love. As we fix our eyes on Jesus, opening our hearts to His love and truth, He clothes us with something far more attractive—He gives us patience.

Father, thank You for being patient with me. You love me unconditionally. You are gracious with me. Help me respond to others the same way You respond to me. In Your name I pray, amen.

What does impatience reveal about your heart?

What is one way you can pursue patience in your relationships?