p is for patience
I have found myself struggling to find patience day after day. Through my struggles, I've been praying for God's grace and patience. Then, I get frustrated with my lack of grace and patience when my anger comes through and I get all twisted up in a knot. So, this week I requested that people pray specifically for those two things for me. And the next two days were some of the hardest I have experienced yet in regard to patience and grace.
People have said, time and time again, "Don't pray for patience. You'll go through struggles to get it." When I hear this expression and meditate on the words, I find I cannot agree with the sentiment.
I don't want to not pray for something that will make me more like Christ because the process of getting there comes at a cost. Regardless of the cost . . . yes, regardless . . . I want to be more like Christ.
God demonstrates patience, eternal patience for us over and over again. He treats us as His beloved, His well loved and cared for beloved. I want to be full of patience and grace and thus be in some small way an "imitator of God."
Ephesians 5:1-2
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
As I was ruminating these thoughts over and over again, I stopped to talk to another of the participants of this training course and she shared what a struggle her day had been. Then a few minutes later, I met another person and she shared a struggle she had had that day. This happened several times in a row.
I was struck by my selfishness. When I started feeling frustrated at being around people non-stop and started losing patience, I didn't take that opportunity to stop and pray for them as well as myself. I thought only of me and how I needed patience. Hearing one after another seeking prayer reminded me that there is a larger focus.
My prayers need to go beyond myself in these situations. My focus needs to be outside of my needs.
So yes, P is for patience and for prayers for patience. May I challenge you as I challenge myself? May we seek opportunities to pray for patience so that we might be more like God and may we strive to consistently pray for those around us.
People have said, time and time again, "Don't pray for patience. You'll go through struggles to get it." When I hear this expression and meditate on the words, I find I cannot agree with the sentiment.
I don't want to not pray for something that will make me more like Christ because the process of getting there comes at a cost. Regardless of the cost . . . yes, regardless . . . I want to be more like Christ.
God demonstrates patience, eternal patience for us over and over again. He treats us as His beloved, His well loved and cared for beloved. I want to be full of patience and grace and thus be in some small way an "imitator of God."
Ephesians 5:1-2
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
As I was ruminating these thoughts over and over again, I stopped to talk to another of the participants of this training course and she shared what a struggle her day had been. Then a few minutes later, I met another person and she shared a struggle she had had that day. This happened several times in a row.
I was struck by my selfishness. When I started feeling frustrated at being around people non-stop and started losing patience, I didn't take that opportunity to stop and pray for them as well as myself. I thought only of me and how I needed patience. Hearing one after another seeking prayer reminded me that there is a larger focus.
My prayers need to go beyond myself in these situations. My focus needs to be outside of my needs.
So yes, P is for patience and for prayers for patience. May I challenge you as I challenge myself? May we seek opportunities to pray for patience so that we might be more like God and may we strive to consistently pray for those around us.
I think when you pray for patience, you just become even more hyper-aware of how impatient you are. And by "you," I mean "me."
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