By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  April 21, 2020

Have you ever been described as an impatient person? It is easy to feel impatient. Maybe traffic is not moving fast enough, and you are going to be late for your meeting. Or you cannot get through the checkout lane quickly enough to pick up your children from the babysitter. These daily irritations can zap your strength and cause you to lose sight of what really matters.

The source of true patience is the Spirit of God. His patience toward us allows us the opportunity to grow and to become more like Him. He does not give up on us. When we are stubborn and fail to learn what God wants to teach us, He continues to demonstrate His patience.

Many times, we grow impatient with a colleague, friend, child, or spouse and forget that God is patient with us and calls us to extend this same patience toward others. One of the causes of impatience is spiritual shortsightedness. Our view is limited, so sometimes we only concern ourselves with what has a direct impact on our lives. We become impatient because we can’t see life from God’s perspective!

But we can still know and trust that God has a greater plan. While He does not always show us the details, we can know the big picture—we are in His loving hands. If we want to grow in patience, we’ll have to stop looking at ourselves, but at God. We’ll have to remember He is sovereignly at work in every situation so we can be humble and patient when things aren’t going as we would like.

Prayer: Dear God, Your patience is a merciful blessing to me. Please continue showing Your mercy as I learn and practice how to be patient with others. I submit myself to the ways You are shaping me and growing Your Spirit within me. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Colossians 3:12).