How do I develop more patience?
Jeremiah 5:23-24“My people have stubborn and rebellious hearts. They have turned away and abandoned me. They do not say from the heart, ‘Let us live in awe of the Lord our God, for he gives us rain each spring and fall, assuring us of a harvest when the time is right.’”
James 5:7Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen.
Whether we are waiting for crops to ripen, a traffic jam to unsnarl, a child to mature, or God to perfect us, we can grow in patience by recognizing that some things take time and only so much can be done to speed them up. A key to understanding God’s will is to understand God’s timing. Failure to develop patience is often evidence of stubbornness and unbelief.
Exodus 5:22Then Moses went back to the Lord and protested, “Why have you brought all this trouble on your own people, Lord? Why did you send me?”
Focusing less on our own agenda and more on God’s agenda for us will provide a “big picture” perspective that will help us grow in patience.
Psalm 40:1I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry.
Prayer is a necessary tool for developing our patience and helping us gain God’s perspective on our situation.
Habakkuk 2:3If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.
Patience can actually give us an attitude of excited anticipation for each new day. If we know God is going to do what is best for us, then his plan for us will be accomplished on his schedule, not ours. Keeping that in mind, we can actually become excited about waiting for him to act. We can awake each day anticipating the good things he will work out in our lives—just right for the present time.
Galatians 5:22-23The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
The more we let the Holy Spirit fill and inspire us, the more patient we will become. All fruit takes time to grow and mature, including the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 8:25If we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.
Hebrews 11:1-2Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation.
Patience is produced by the hope a believer has in God’s plans, especially his eternal plans. It is a significant component of faith. When our long-range future is totally secure, we can be more patient with today’s frustrations.
Romans 15:4Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.
Colossians 1:11We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy,
James 1:3You know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
2 Peter 1:4-7Because of his [God’s] glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. . . . In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
As we allow God’s power to strengthen us, patience is a by-product that develops. The more we patiently learn to walk with him and wait with him, and the more we appreciate his patient endurance with us, the more we grow in the joy of just being with him instead of always worrying about what will happen next. Patience will help us enjoy our relationship with God right where we are today. It will also transform our relationships with others.
Proverbs 14:29People with understanding control their anger; a hot temper shows great foolishness.
Proverbs 19:11Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.
1 Thessalonians 5:14Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.
2 Timothy 2:24A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people.
God develops patience in us through our relationships with others. Abrasive relationships teach us to patiently endure. They can also reveal that we lack patience. Even in loving relationships patience is necessary. God is involved in a long-term patience development plan in our lives.
1 Samuel 13:11-12Samuel said, “What is this you have done?” Saul replied, “I saw my men scattering from me, and you didn’t arrive when you said you would, and the Philistines are at Micmash ready for battle. So I said, ‘The Philistines are ready to march against us at Gilgal, and I haven’t even asked for the Lord’s help!’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering myself before you came.”
Ecclesiastes 7:8Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride.
Romans 5:3-4We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.
Romans 12:12Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.
1 Peter 2:19-20For God is pleased when, conscious of his will, you patiently endure unjust treatment. Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you.
God uses life’s circumstances to develop our patience or to reveal how far we still need to grow. We can’t always choose the circumstances that come our way, but we can choose how we will respond to them.
