We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. – 1 Thessalonians 5:14 NASB
Life demands patience . . . and lots of it! We live in an imperfect world inhabited by imperfect people. Sometimes, we inherit troubles from others, and sometimes we create trouble for ourselves. In either case, what’s required is patience.
Lamentations 3:25-26 reminds us that, “The Lord is wonderfully good to those who wait for him and seek him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord” (NIV). But, for most of us, waiting quietly for God is difficult. Why? Because we are fallible human beings, sometimes quick to anger and sometimes slow to forgive.
The next time you find your patience tested to the limit, remember that the world unfolds according to God’s timetable, not ours. Sometimes, we must wait patiently, and that’s as it should be. After all, think how patient God has been with us.
– Steve Arterburn
Two signposts of faith: “Slow Down” and “Wait Here.” – Charles Stanley
Our challenge is to wait in faith for the day of God’s favor and salvation. – Jim Cymbala
God never hurries. There are no deadlines against which He must work. To know this is to quiet our spirits and relax our nerves. – A. W. Tozer
As we wait on God, He helps us use the winds of adversity to soar above our problems. As the Bible says, “Those who wait on the LORD . . . shall mount up with wings like eagles.” – Billy Graham
TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Lord, let me live according to Your plan and according to Your timetable. When I am hurried, Lord, slow me down. When I become impatient with others, give me empathy. Today, Lord, let me be a patient Christian, and let me trust in You and in Your master plan. Amen
