Be Patient
Ask nearly any one to define patience and they will struggle. Ultimately someone will say something like “patience is being able to wait for what one wants.”
That is not exactly it.
A man doing time in prison is able to wait until his release date, but he has no other choice.
Patience is more than waiting.
Psalms 37:7-8 gives us good incite into the definition of patience. The verse exhorts us:
“Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret. it leads only to evil.
Patience means to “Be still before the Lord,” and “Do not fret.”
In patience, there is no anxiety but rather a calm waiting for God to do his work. It means that you do not fret when things do not work immediately. It means to keep your spirit and “Refrain from anger and turn from wrath.”
Patience is not just being able to wait, but being able to wait with the right attitude.
There is a Jewish legend about Abraham and patience.
According to a traditional Hebrew story, Abraham was sitting outside his tent one evening when he saw an old man, weary from age and journey, coming toward him.
Abraham rushed out, greeted him, and then invited him into his tent. There he washed the old man’s feet and gave him food and drink. The old man immediately began eating without saying any prayer or blessing.
Abraham asked him, “Don’t you worship God?”
The old traveler replied, “I only worship fire. I reverence no other god.”
Hearing this, Abraham became angry, grabbed the old man, and threw him out of his tent and into the cold night air. When the old man departed, God called to Abraham and asked where the stranger was.
Abraham replied, “I threw him out because he did not worship you.”
God answered, “I have suffered him these eighty years – although he dishonors me. Could you not endure him one night?”
Abraham would have done well to remember the old word of wisdom, “When you’re tempted to lose patience with someone, remember how patient God has been with you.”
Be patient with someone today!
Lonnie Davis