As our Christian lives develop, patience becomes the key to the caliber of our commitment. It determines the depth of our perseverance. It controls the quality of our thoughts and actions. Through patience we acquire the skills to face life’s annoying circumstances. Patience creates an inner tranquility that adds smoothness to life’s ruffles. It defeats fear through faith. It controls dissension with love. It conquers despair with determination. It offers hope in the midst of that which seems hopeless. Patience combines the energy of trust with the spirit of obedience to create a godly attitude and lifestyle. At no other time are we nearer the Lord’s dream for our lives than when we express patience. He calls us into the kind of life which requires us “to wait upon the Lord.” When patience is absent we often move ahead of God with devastating results. We hurry through life unwilling “to be still and know that He is God.”
Our prayers quickly evaporate in selfishness and futility. We lose our quiet moments of unhindered worship. When patience is absent we lose the spiritual stamina to keep God as the focal point of our lives. Our thoughts focus on the trivial and our energy is wasted in meaningless pursuits.
Without patience we run the risk of losing control of all our virtues. In haste we say things we do not mean. In moments of anxiety we do things we later regret. In anger we hurt those we love most. In restlessness we create problems for everyone with whom we share a bit of life. In bitterness and rage we lose the ability and the desire to forgive. Without patience the vision of grace escapes us. Our nervous energy plays havoc with our health and our only hope is for patience to save us from ourselves.
The calming effect of our own personal commitment to God is no doubt the answer to our struggle for patience. In Christ Jesus we experience the ingredients for a patient mentality and the prospect for an unfaltering spirituality. In Him alone is the peace of patience. May our prayer be for the “gentling” power of the Holy Spirit to be obvious in our lives at all times and in every crises.
