If you’ve ever been to Disneyland, then you are probably familiar with the coveted FASTPASS. The FASTPASS is a ticket that allows you to enter an attraction at a later time with a shorter wait. If I had it my way my FASTPASS would always read “zero minutes.” When I don’t have a FASTPASS for a ride, then the long lines seem to last a century.
This is a humorous example of my impatient tendencies, but I will be honest, I really do struggle to be patient, especially when I am waiting on God’s timing. Often, it seems that God’s timing is slower than what I would want, yet I have also learned that His timing is always better than my own. Whether it was waiting to hear back on a job offer, figuring out my college roommate or waiting for a bag of …show more content…
In fact, my initial desires are not what are always best for me. The Bible has so much to say about patience, but I find myself struggling to always apply patience.
What does Biblical patience look like?
The word patience used in Galatians 5:22, is the Greek word, makrothumia, which means “long-suffering or slowness in avenging wrongs.” Patience is even listed in the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). If patience is something that exemplifies qualities of the Spirit, then when we are impatient, we are truly living by the flesh. In fact, Galatians 5:16 tells us not to gratify the desires of the flesh. Biblical patience is forgiving others when they hurt you or being gentle towards other weaknesses and helping them. A practical implication of this may be a school teacher who is frustrated with a student who is having trouble following instructions in class. Initially, the teacher’s fleshly desires would be to blow up at the student. However, Biblical patience would be for the teacher to be slow to anger towards a student, when they least feel like it. I understand that this is easier said than done, but God is capable from changing our sinful reactions to one that honors
This is a humorous example of my impatient tendencies, but I will be honest, I really do struggle to be patient, especially when I am waiting on God’s timing. Often, it seems that God’s timing is slower than what I would want, yet I have also learned that His timing is always better than my own. Whether it was waiting to hear back on a job offer, figuring out my college roommate or waiting for a bag of …show more content…
In fact, my initial desires are not what are always best for me. The Bible has so much to say about patience, but I find myself struggling to always apply patience.
What does Biblical patience look like?
The word patience used in Galatians 5:22, is the Greek word, makrothumia, which means “long-suffering or slowness in avenging wrongs.” Patience is even listed in the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). If patience is something that exemplifies qualities of the Spirit, then when we are impatient, we are truly living by the flesh. In fact, Galatians 5:16 tells us not to gratify the desires of the flesh. Biblical patience is forgiving others when they hurt you or being gentle towards other weaknesses and helping them. A practical implication of this may be a school teacher who is frustrated with a student who is having trouble following instructions in class. Initially, the teacher’s fleshly desires would be to blow up at the student. However, Biblical patience would be for the teacher to be slow to anger towards a student, when they least feel like it. I understand that this is easier said than done, but God is capable from changing our sinful reactions to one that honors