February 2023
Daily Companion | 25 February
HAVE PATIENCE
But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience. Luke 8:15 (NKJV)
A simple Google search defines patience as "the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset." It is obvious from this definition that patience is a hard virtue to maintain! It’s more than waiting; it is accepting suffering or maltreatment without becoming upset. Patience is practicing long-suffering.
Every believer filled with the Holy Spirit (whose one of His fruits is Patience) needs deeper understanding of how to be patient and tolerate hardship. Proverbs 15:18 says "A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife." Wherever there is strife, patience will restore relationships and bring peace. Love is the bedrock of Patience. First Corinthians 13 gives the well-known description of love, and patience is number 1 on the list. The greatest commandment is to love one another and being patient with others and God is a manifestation of this love!
Our God is patient. God has and is displaying His patience with us. "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9). Despite our disregard and disobedience to God daily, He remains patient with us wishing and waiting for us to repent.
Beloved, whether in the house, on the street or at workplace, the virtue of patience is required from us as Christians. Not only will this prove to the world that we are truly Christians, but it will make us peace-lovers, peacemakers, strife-ender, violence-preventer, and soul-winners. Finally, we are called to be still and patient with God. " Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him" (Psalm 37:7). Friend, continue to bear the fruit of the Spirit. Everything good will come in His timing!
Today’s Recite: My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. - James 1:2-4 (NKJV)
Today’s Morning Prayer: O God, I humble myself before You this day to receive grace to be patient. Help me to endure longsuffering. Wherever I go, may the virtue of patience cloth me and make me an ‘ender’ of strife and a winner of soul in Jesus’ name. Amen
Today’s Hymn: Let Others See Jesus in You
Today’s Read Me: Deuteronomy 10 – 12
Comments