Believe 26 - Paitence Series

When we consider God. We have to be struck by His grace. God is patient with us. The Psalmist tells us, 15 O Lord, you are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. (Psalm 86:15)

What a great gift we receive from God. Can you imagine if God had no patience? Oh, man, we’d be in big trouble. You see, too many people live with the idea that when they do something wrong, God will get them for it. They think of God as the police officer waiting and hiding at a speed trap, wanting to catch them speeding and give them a ticket.

We can also say - - - God is a God of justice. The price for sin has to be paid in full. But because God loves us, Jesus paid the price for our sins on the cross. He paid the fine for us so we could be set free to live for Him.

Because God is patient with us, He wants us to be patient with others. But we don’t want to do that. We want to place limits on patience and forgiveness.

When we’re struggling with others . . . when we see the glaring sinfulness of others, can we step back and see their situation. Can we see what life has been like for them? Can we see why they are the way they are? It doesn’t make their behavior appropriate. It simply helps us to have more compassion and let the love of Christ flow a little more.

One scripture I use with all couples I do premarital counseling with comes from James 1:19 ~ James tells us ~

19 Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger;

What a great passage for us! Be quick to listen. That means turn off your desire to respond to the other person. Just listen. That takes patience. As you’re listening, you’re slow to speak . . . WHY? Because you’re listening. You’re not looking for a comeback, you’re intent on understanding . . . and that takes patience!!

Now, since you’re actively listening, you’re also not jumping to conclusions. Why? Because you are better understanding the other person. As a result, you will be slower to become angry because you understand the situation. And when you’ve understood the other person, and you haven’t become quickly angered, you’ve shown wonderful patience and that speaks for who Christ is within you. Because it often takes Christ in us, to help us not jump to conclusions!

Patience is a Christian virtue, the product of the Holy Spirit working in our lives.

As we wrap up this morning. The greatest verse people want read at their weddings is 1 Corinthians 13. Paul tells us

4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant

5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;

6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.

7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

What a great passage, not just for married life . . . but for all of life. Paul starts with the reminder that love is patient. Patience is an act of love. We can learn to be patient when we trust in the power and strength and encouragement which comes from God. On our own, it will be tough to be patient. But with Christ all things are possible.