Is Patience a Virtue? Tricia Draper Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Colossians 3:12 NIV)
Is patience really a virtue? Yes. Is it a fun virtue? Not always. Is it easy? Not usually. It may not be easy, but we need patience. When we don’t have it, we suffer. We lose all our good qualities and become miserable.
I often ask God, “Do I really have to have patience with everyone?” The answer is always, “Yes. You must always have patience with them because I have patience with you.” He reminds me that when I do something I'm not supposed to, He uses His patience to deal with me. This is true for all of us.
We know God has compassion on us, kindness for everyone, gentleness and patience with all of us. He doesn’t get mad or lose His patience when we make the wrong choice. He has every good characteristic and patience is one of them.
I’ve heard people say, “Don’t pray for patience or you will have to go through a trial.” We all have to go through trials. The good thing about asking for patience is that life will be smoother when we use the patience God gives us.
Asking for patience is not asking for problems; it’s asking for help with our problems. When we trust God enough to ask for help, He will always give us a way to find the patience we need. It may not be right away, but little by little, we may notice we have less stress in our lives. That is when we truly have the patience of God.
Tricia Draper resides in Texas with her family. You may find more information HERE. |