Why You SHOULD Pray for PATIENCE

With 17 mostly special needs and senior rescued dogs in my care, not to mention my 24-7 commitment to the Lord and to His calling for me as an evangelist who does a combo of preaching, teaching the Bible, streets and beach ministry, discipleship, writing and publishing, along with all the administrative duties of Walk by Faith Ministry, rest assured I don’t just need patience. I need PATIENCE!!!!!!!! And I sadly can be severely lacking in this area. Sadder still, for too long a time I fell prey to the “funny” myth that we should NOT pray for patience because God will then test us in that area of our lives. Ridiculous myth aside, the Truth – God’s Truth – is that we WILL be tested whether or not we pray for patience. So why should we NOT pray for patience when we so desperately NEED patience? The Bible teaches us clearly that PATIENCE is a key component in having a relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ.

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When we repent of our sins and believe the Gospel that Christ died on the cross for us so we can receive God’s forgiveness, enter into a personal relationship with Him, receive the promise of everlasting life, and commit to live our lives according to His ways as the Bible teaches instead of our own and the world’s ways, we are born again and begin the lifelong process of God transforming us into the people of God He has called us to be. Why do we need patience? First, patience is a fruit of the Holy Spirit who lives inside believers in Jesus Christ. If we are truly yielded to the Lord and to His ways rather than ours, then we should bear fruit – His fruit, not ours!

Second, God tests our faith to produce the patience we need in order for Him to perfect His work in us as He takes us through the transformation, or sanctification, process. Does it make any sense then that we should NOT pray for patience? Of course not. For we NEED patience to turn away from the things and the ways of this world and to learn to live godly lives according to the ways of the Lord as He works in our hearts and lives to conform us to the image of His beloved Son, and our precious Savior, Jesus the Christ.

Do you know what I did? Instead of praying for patience, I prayed God would lighten my load of responsibilities, especially with the dogs, and send me physical help. Instead, He increased my load, didn’t send me most of the physical help I wanted, and made me realize I need to pray for patience and give Him free reign to perfect His love in me as He helps me to grow in His image and prepares me to spend eternity with Him in heaven.

Need patience? PRAY for it! And don’t leave home without it. If God isn’t answering your prayers to lessen your load and send you more physical help, consider this.  Maybe He’s using your circumstances to test your faith to produce patience so He can do what He desires to do with us all – to turn us into the children He has created us to be. His!

Jas 1:2  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 
Jas 1:3  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 
Jas 1:4  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 
Jas 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 

Rom 5:3  And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 
Rom 5:4  And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 

Rom 5:5  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 

Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 

Gal 5:23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 

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