“Whatever you do, don’t pray for patience! I did that once and paid the price!”
Is it a bad idea to pray for patience? Does praying for patience invite demons and the normal storms of life into your home?
Patience is a vital component of Christianity. It’s not what most of us think, however. Patience is more than waiting in line without losing your temper. This type of patience is hopeful and it is the quality that does not surrender to circumstances or cave under trial. Patience works closely with faith and through these, overcoming seemingly impossible circumstances is possible. We don’t need to pray for patience.
What does the Bible say about patience?
Pray For Patience Or Allow It Organically
Proverbs 16:32 Patience is better than power and controlling one’s emotions than capturing a city.
Proverbs 25:15 Through patience a ruler may be persuaded, and a gentle tongue breaks bone.
Ecclesiastes 7:8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning; patience of spirit is better than arrogance of spirit.
Isaiah 7:13 Then he said, “Listen now, house of David! Is it too trivial a thing for you to try the patience of men, that you will try the patience of my God as well?
Jeremiah 15:15 You know, Lord; remember me, take notice of me, and take vengeance for me on my persecutors. Do not, in view of Your patience, take me away; know that for Your sake I endure reproach.
God Is Patient — Patience in the Gospels
God is quite patient. Yes, judgment was been shown several times in the Bible. Often, the patience of God is remarkable. His timetable is much different than ours.
He’s also patient with our reckless and sinful lives. Mercy is granted daily to us all when at any moment God would be fully justified in unleashing His wrath.
Do we reflect and imitate His patience regularly?
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant has a couple of awesome patience verses.
Matthew 18:25-27 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.
This parable is ridiculous. The amount that was owed was equivalent to 150,000 YEARS of wages! Jesus made a strong point that we’re unable to pay back our debt owed to God.
Regrettably, the parable ends tragically. Forgiveness is a two-way street. Oops!
Here’s an article that I wrote on the importance of forgiveness.
Luke 8:15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.
Bearing fruit can be a long and difficult process. Don’t give up!
Luke 21:19 In your patience possess ye your souls.
Patience In Paul’s Epistles
Romans 2:4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
Romans 2:6-8 He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking[a] and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.
Romans 8:25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
2 Corinthians 6:3-8 We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true…
2 Corinthians 12:12 The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works.
Yes, Patience is a Fruit of the Spirit
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law.
Ephesians 4:1-3 I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Colossians 3:12-13 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
Patience in the Pastoral Epistles
I Timothy 1:16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.
2 Timothy 3:10-11 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me.
2 Timothy 4:1-2 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
Patience in the General Epistles
Hebrews 6:11-12 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
James 5:10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
I Peter 3:20 because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
2 Peter 3:15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him.
Patience is not a dirty word. Here’s an article that I wrote about changing our thoughts through the Word of God.
Ignore negative Nelly’s who warn you to not pray for patience. Embrace patience! It’s the trying of our faith that produces patience (James 1:3). When patience has its perfect work we can be complete and mature.
Now that sounds pretty good to me!