MORE PATIENCE, PLEASE

2 Peter 1: 5-7 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue;

and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

OH GOD, PUHLEEZE, GIVE ME PATIENCE!!!! How many times in one day have I prayed that prayer? This week alone, I can’t count the times I cried out for patience. The turn lane was so long, I had to sit through two lights, Lord give me patience. Shopping at K-mart (big mistake, try Wal-Mart or Meijer), with only 2 people ahead of me, the clerk closed the lane, Lord give me patience. My grandson is teething, and nothing will stop his crying, Lord give me patience. Mackenzie and Madison are coming to stay for a week, Lord, I’m afraid to pray for patience.

God, you have answered so many of my prayers, why can’t you answer this one? Maybe He has, I just didn’t like the answer. If you don’t understand God’s methods go to His Word. Does God have anything to say about patience or is His Word as silent on the subject as I think He is at times? Some versions of the Bible have limited references in the Old Testament, all pertaining to God’s patience with mankind. The KJV contains the word patience 33 times, all in the New Testament, clearly a WORK OF GRACE.

Romans tells us that, tribulation works patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope. Timothy was instructed to follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Patience is obviously a virtue ranked up there with godliness and faith. Hebrews informs us that we have need of patience so that after we have done the will of God, we can receive the promise. James teaches that the trying of our faith works patience and reminds us of the patience of Job and what he received in the end. Of course, we don’t want to leave out Peter who gives us the building blocks of Christian character, including, yes, PATIENCE!! In the same chapter, Peter tells us that all of these qualities are necessary in life so that we may participate in the Divine Nature and escape the corruption of this world.

The muddy waters finally become clear; God doesn’t waste gifts. Every gift He bestows on us is meant to be used to make us into His image and further His plan. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if like the fairy godmother in the children’s stories, God granted every virtuous gift to us from birth? But in His wisdom, He understands that our sinful nature would lay the gift aside, never to be used. It seems that we only appreciate things we learn and earn the hard way.

If I pray for patience and everything is smooth sailing, how do I know that God has given me patience? Every time I pray for God to give me more faith, along comes a situation beyond my control. When I ask God to help me have love for others, someone unlovable comes into my life. The times I went to be more Godly, I’m faced with temptation. God is all about building our character and molding us into a useable vessel. This all takes repetition and, here’s that word again, Patience.

There is an old adage that says, “Be careful what you ask for, you just might get it.” If you don’t want the trials and tribulations, DON’T pray for patience.