…with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:2-3
“Patience is a virtue.” Perhaps you are familiar with that phrase. And while it certainly is virtuous to be patient, it is probably more accurate to suggest that it demonstrates the presence of God’s Spirit in our lives. In the Christian life, we often talk about being patient and waiting on God. And we certainly have plenty of scripture suggesting that followers of Jesus are to be patient with others as well, but what about being patient with ourselves? Have you ever said something such as, “I can’t believe that I said that?” or “I can’t believe that I did that?” Why are we surprised when we fail? Are we not affected with the same sin nature as everyone else coming as a result of Adam’s sin (Romans 5:18)? Of course we are. Are we not human beings just as everyone else that we know? Of course we are. Do we really believe that we are beyond stumbling in the same way as we observe others fail? We shouldn’t.
Patience with ourselves is imperative if we are to live a joyful, healthy, balanced life in Christ. In fact, the level of patience we show ourselves is usually in direct correlation to the amount of patience that we have with others. Jesus did tell us to “love our neighbor as we love ourselves” and to “treat others the way we want to be treated” (Matthew 22:39, Matthew 7:12). Both instructions contain an element consistent with what we expect for ourselves, namely that we should take care of ourselves and that we should desire to be treated appropriately. In fact, scripture teaches us that most (if not all) that we receive from God through faith in Jesus is to be passed along into the lives of others. Consider these examples:
- Love Because We Are Loved
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
1 John 4:7-8
- Forgive Because We Are Forgiven
For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.
Matthew 6:14-15
- Show Mercy Because We Have Been Shown Mercy
So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.
James 2:12-13
- Comfort Others Because We Have Been Comforted
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
- Proclaim Reconciliation Because We Have Been Reconciled To God
Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19
Given the fact that we are to share with others what we experience in Christ, loving others as we do ourselves, and treating others the way that we want to be treated, it is easy to see that the same should also apply to patience. If you struggle in the area of patience, why not begin by being patient with yourself and watch what difference that will make!
mytwocents.info 