Patience

My friend Kari sent me this devotion that she got yesterday on patience. With everything I am going through right now it was a great reminder for me. Below is part of the devotion.

Being forced to wait ratchets up the stress and shortens our fuse. When that happens, we not only fail to be patient but we undercut the Spirit’s work in our lives.

Patience is not just a virtue, it’s a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22)—which means that demonstrations of impatience reveal the sour fruit of our fallen hearts rather than the sweetness of Jesus in our lives. Since God is a patient God, when we abandon patience we miss the opportunity to show our world the glory of God through our lives.

This was so good for me to read. I don't want to undercut the Spirit's work in my life. I don't want to be impatient and reveal the sour fruit of my fallen heart...that is the way of the world. The world gets so impatient so easily that they become angry and annoyed very easily when they are stressed and impatient during tough times. I choose to be as patient as possible and give everything to God when I am starting to be impatient. I am living for God so I don't want to be revealing sour fruit to the world when the world gets enough of that from others. I am living in God's grace and light and will reveal good fruit to the world.

Lord, prepare my heart for whatever it is you have next for me on this journey of yours. Give me patience during these tough times so that the world can see you through me. Help me not dwell on the past but to trust and understand your timing in everything. I know Lord that when all is said and done I will see the magnificent plans you have for me, immeasurably more than I could ever dream or imagine. Thank you God! I love you!