Day 14- Patience
Day 14 - Patience
PATIENCE! This is a tough one for more people than will actually admit it. In the book of Galatians chapter 5, the Bible gives us a list of 9 things you and I as Christians are supposed to model. It calls them FRUITS. One of the fruits listed is “temperance”. In the New International Version of the Bible, it refers to it as “self-control”. There are many things that try our patience ... test our durability ... challenge our self-restraint. We all have certain “pet peeves” ... things that set us off ... things that “get on our last nerve” ... buttons that can be pushed. It escalates when it’s things that are very much OUT of our control. That’s when we have to work even harder at being SELF-controlled. I read a quote many years ago, and it ministered to me. It’s full of truth and stands to help anyone whose patience is lacking. It’s been around a while, and I’ve seen it made into frames for wall decor and written on other things. A professor and theologian named Reinhold Niebuhr actually came up with it and spoke it as a prayer. He said, “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” Can you imagine how much more smoothly our journey in this life would be if we could all just make a more intentional effort to live by that prayer? The apostle Paul wrote a letter to the Christians in a city called Colosse. In his letter, he told them that ever since he heard about their faith in Jesus Christ, he had not stopped praying for them. Part of his prayer was for God to strengthen them with power, give them endurance, and give them ... PATIENCE. Paul knew the challenges of living the Christ-life and the difficulties that came with practicing self-control. If you haven’t already, make Professor Niebuhr’s prayer a part of your personal prayer time. Working patience can relieve stress and alleviate some of the pressures of life. It’s a fruit some of us must work hard to bear, but it’s well worth the effort.
PATIENCE! This is a tough one for more people than will actually admit it. In the book of Galatians chapter 5, the Bible gives us a list of 9 things you and I as Christians are supposed to model. It calls them FRUITS. One of the fruits listed is “temperance”. In the New International Version of the Bible, it refers to it as “self-control”. There are many things that try our patience ... test our durability ... challenge our self-restraint. We all have certain “pet peeves” ... things that set us off ... things that “get on our last nerve” ... buttons that can be pushed. It escalates when it’s things that are very much OUT of our control. That’s when we have to work even harder at being SELF-controlled. I read a quote many years ago, and it ministered to me. It’s full of truth and stands to help anyone whose patience is lacking. It’s been around a while, and I’ve seen it made into frames for wall decor and written on other things. A professor and theologian named Reinhold Niebuhr actually came up with it and spoke it as a prayer. He said, “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” Can you imagine how much more smoothly our journey in this life would be if we could all just make a more intentional effort to live by that prayer? The apostle Paul wrote a letter to the Christians in a city called Colosse. In his letter, he told them that ever since he heard about their faith in Jesus Christ, he had not stopped praying for them. Part of his prayer was for God to strengthen them with power, give them endurance, and give them ... PATIENCE. Paul knew the challenges of living the Christ-life and the difficulties that came with practicing self-control. If you haven’t already, make Professor Niebuhr’s prayer a part of your personal prayer time. Working patience can relieve stress and alleviate some of the pressures of life. It’s a fruit some of us must work hard to bear, but it’s well worth the effort.
Recent
Archive
2021
January
Day 1- FamilyDay 2-Spiritual RevivalDay 3-Church FamilyDay 4-Church UnityDay 5- Men's & Women's MinistriesDay 6- Church LeadershipDay 7 - Children/Youth/ College & Career MinistryDay 8- Christian Education DepartmentDay 9- Senior Adult MinistryDay 10- City/State/National Government LeadersDay 11- ForgivenessDay 12- SufficiencyDay 13- DepressionDay 14- PatienceDay 15- PeaceDay 16 - ConfidenceDay 17- FaithDay 18- God’s WillDay 19- Unsaved Loved OnesDay 20 - Evangelism and OutreachDay 21- Prosperity
2020
December
No Comments