1 Cor 13 tells us love is patient and love is kind. By this definition, when we love much, we have more patience. When we love more, we are kinder. On the other hand, when we love less, we are less patient and less kind.
As Christians, we are still human. We have emotions. We have feelings. We cannot help but look at the watch. We can get irritated. (Remember, love is not easily angered.) We often are more impatient to our loved ones compared to others. How can we be a little bit more patient? How can we be kinder to those close to our hearts?
Accept Discomfort.
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” (Rom 12:12)
There will be times when things do not go our way. There are times when others do not behave the way we expect. We do not always get to change them. We can, however, change our own expectations. We can do some attitude adjustments.
Learn to Forgive
“Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.” 1 Tim 1:16b
Christ has immense patience. In another version, it says unlimited patience. We are asked to imitate Christ. We must learn to forgive. Do not hold grudges. God forgives us and let us start over. Who are we to not forgive? Impatience erupts when we hang on to the past.
Be Graceful
“A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.” (Pro 19:11)
In the Lord’s Prayer, we pray for God to forgive our debts as we have forgiven our debtors. We ought to extend the grace we received from God. When Jesus told us to forgive seventy times seven, he wants us to get in the habit of forgiveness that it becomes second nature.
Please God More than Please People
Instead of focusing on pleasing people, we should instead focus on pleasing God.
When you are with your best friends, time flies. You do not mind waiting one hour for the waiter to bring the food. When you are on your honeymoon, you laugh as you dash together towards your hotel in the rain. Live this life with God. God does not promise a life without trouble. He does promise that he will never leave us. Rev 1:9 tells us about “patience endurance” that are “ours in Jesus.”
Focusing on God makes it easier to exercise patience to others. Acknowledge we need help from God. Instead of asking God to change others, pray for God to help us love that person who can get under your skin within 5 seconds. Instead of asking God why he gave you that demon spawn, ask for God to help you to be patient with your child. Instead of asking God to strike every other driver on the road with lightning, ask God to help you get to the office without turning into the Hulk.
When you are lost in the desert after taking the last drop of water from your water canteen, the only thing you can do is to walk one step at a time towards the oasis.
The road is long. Take one step at a time.
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