I have been reading the book Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer. It’s about 20 years old but all the concepts in this book apply to us today. The chapter I read this week focused on the topic of patience. Joyce Meyer says that “Patience is not the ability to wait, it is the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.” Wow! That’s right on. It seems we’re all waiting for something all the time throughout our lives. We all wait at one point or another. But some people are much better than others at waiting with a good attitude during the waiting season.
In my own life, I go in cycles. I spend several days with a good attitude and try my best to stay positive. But after a few days, my attitude starts deteriorating and I think it’s been long enough. I start asking God, “So… what’s going on? When are you going to answer my prayer?” And when I don’t hear anything back, I get impatient. That’s when I have to remember that God’s timing is not my timing. In her book, Joyce Meyers says that “Impatience is the fruit of pride. A proud person cannot seem to wait for anything with the proper attitude.” The Bible reminds us to be patient in several scriptures that I would like to share with you today.
James 5:7 (NLT) Patience and Endurance
7 Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen.
The other important concept that Joyce Meyers shares is that patience is the power to endure. The Bible tells us that in the world we will have tribulation but to not worry, Jesus overcame the world. Jesus is our best example of patience. He had to wait for the appropriate time for every single prophecy to come to pass. He also had to be patient with all the people who attacked and judged Him throughout His life. He did not retaliate or fight back as we would. He waited and even endured the cross in order to obtain the final victory through His resurrection. Here is the scripture to remind us of His victory:
John 16:33 (NLT)
33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
It takes humility to be patient. And patience helps us endure our individual trials and tribulations we experience in the world. But there are things we can do to help us with our attitude while we wait. Through my life, I have discovered that being thankful helps me to be patient and to wait with a good attitude until my prayers are answered. In this scripture, the Bible reminds us of the virtues that a person who was chosen by God – each one of us – must display in our lives.
Colossians 3:12 (NLT)
12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
Being that Thanksgiving is upon us this coming week, I thought it would be appropriate to share these thoughts with you to encourage you to strive to always have an attitude of thankfulness as that is one of the secrets to learn patience.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!