patience – Fourth Day Adventures

Funny what you remember. Years and years, and yes years ago a Sunday school teacher said never pray for patience. This I remembered. She said when you pray for patience God teaches you by placing trails in your life.

Yet Jesus commanded us to love and part of that love according to Paul is a greek word makrothymeō. Strong’s Blue Letter Bible http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G3114&t=KJV states this word can have the following meanings:

to be of a long spirit, not to lose heart; to persevere patiently and bravely in enduring misfortunes and troubles; to be patient in bearing the offenses and injuries of others; to be mild and slow in avenging; to be long-suffering, slow to anger, slow to punish

Jesus is patient with us; he endured misfortune and troubles for us. Jesus told us to love others as He loved us. We must learn to be people of patience.

I think of Peter when I think of Jesus showing patience. I love Peter because he so often got it wrong but Jesus never gave up on him.

Look at the incident of Peter walking on the water.

²⁹And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

³⁰But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

³¹And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

³²And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.

³³Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

There is Peter walking on the water yet he gets afraid and starts sinking. But Jesus doesn’t just let him sink or say fine swim for it. No he stretched out his hand and caught him.

Again with Peter, look at how even though he claimed he would never betray Christ; on the night when Jesus is taken, Peter denies him three times.I think I would be inclined to give up on Peter. I would feel betrayed. I would be angry. I would feel justified and all righteous in my frustration with Peter. I know I get that way with people who let me down in my life. People who some how don’t live up to my standard of how a Christian should live. But I am so grateful that Jesus doesn’t give up on me when I fall so short of who I am suppose to be in Him.

My Sunday school teacher was wrong. We will face people letting us down, people hurting us, people acting in a manner they should not because that is just what people do. Jesus commands us to love as He loved us. We must ask Him to teach us how to be patient with people who fall short of our hopes for them. Forgive the people who let us down. If we love Jesus this is what He asks of us.

Journal

Write down a few examples of people who have let you down in the recent past: people who have hurt you, betrayed you, or who have just disappointed you. How did you react to these situations. How do you think you should have reacted.

Activity

Watch for times when you can show patience. When you feel yourself being disappointed or frustrated do not react. Separate from the situation and place the situation on the altar before Jesus. Ask Him how to show patience so that it provides a learning experience for the person involve.

Tomorrow lets deal with the slow to anger.

Tag: patience

Day 5:Never Pray for Patience—–Wrong!