A 21 day Prayer and Fasting Devotional (Nov. 1-21, 2023)
Day 9
PATIENCE AND ENDURANCE
God may allow us to experience difficult and uncomfortable situations on the way to our promised destinations. But the journey was going to be worth the pain, while we will have temporary discomfort, for sure we would get there. All you need to do to enjoy the trip was to embrace the journey and be patient.
Many people fail to realize that patience doesn’t begin working in our hearts until we’re irritated. Waiting for something and having patience are two different things. When we are waiting, we are simply pausing in expectation that the coming promise (answer to our prayers) is near and inevitable. Our waiting turns to patience when our expectations are not met, and our timing is violated. In other words, when we get tired of waiting, that’s when patience begins!
There is a word for this process in the Bible: suffering. The apostle Paul wrote, “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance [patience], and endurance [patience] produces character, and character produces hope” (Romans 5:3–4 ESV). Painful waiting (suffering) has the by-product of patience, and patience has the by-product of character.
Jesus lived this way. He experienced more suffering than any other person who has ever lived. The author of Hebrews wrote, “Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!” (Hebrews 12:1–3 MSG).
Jesus led the way for us. He plowed through the suffering. He knows that waiting will turn into patience, and patience will turn into character.
We will get there. The journey will be over one day, so maybe we can quit asking, “Are we there yet?” and start asking, “God, am I done yet?”
There is a word for this process in the Bible: suffering. The apostle Paul wrote, “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance [patience], and endurance [patience] produces character, and character produces hope” (Romans 5:3–4 ESV). Painful waiting (suffering) has the by-product of patience, and patience has the by-product of character.
Jesus lived this way. He experienced more suffering than any other person who has ever lived. The author of Hebrews wrote, “Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!” (Hebrews 12:1–3 MSG).
Jesus led the way for us. He plowed through the suffering. He knows that waiting will turn into patience, and patience will turn into character.
We will get there. The journey will be over one day, so maybe we can quit asking, “Are we there yet?” and start asking, “God, am I done yet?”
Prayer
Father, I desperately need the patience Jesus had when He walked in Your perfect will. I depend on Your grace as I allow Your character to develop in my heart. The waiting may be difficult at times, but I choose to trust in Your unfailing love. You have good plans for my life, and the desire of my heart is to be with You always. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Activation
- What are some “journeys” God is taking you on? Do you find yourself asking Him, “Am I there yet?”
- Think of a time where your waiting had to turn into patience. How did you handle it, and what character lessons did you learn from it?
Prepared and edited by:
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| Armando P. Mariano |
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