Practicing Patience

2/28/2024

Written By: Jenni Purtlebaugh

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.”  – Psalm 40:1-2

God will always respond to our cry–it may not be when we want or expect it, but He knows when we need His perfectly timed answer. I have always struggled with patience and waiting for the Lord to show me whichever answer or path.

There have been many times that I have felt discouraged and even angry when I thought He would never answer my cry, mostly because I was not patient enough for Him to reveal His answer to me.

The ten months after my dad passed away were probably the hardest of my life. I felt numb, almost like I was living in a fog; I remember back then thinking I just want time to pass. It felt like numbness had taken over my mind and body, and I just kept hoping that one day I would be able to feel something. I was wanting God to immediately make me feel better, or somehow make time go faster so it wouldn’t hurt so much. I wasn’t patient in the healing process and actually prolonged it by not letting Jesus do the work in me that He wanted to.

One of the first verses I learned to cling to during difficult times in my life, or when I felt impatient, is Romans 12:12: “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” I would repeat this verse whenever I felt overwhelmed with anger, grief, or impatience.

Sometimes I would overlook the last part of the verse: be faithful in prayer. Personally, it can be easy to forget to pray when I am overcome with a negative emotion. During moments of impatience it is important to pray, even if you don’t want to. Praying for patience is a difficult prayer because I have learned that the result is not that God will suddenly make you become a more patient person. It means He will give you more opportunities to be patient.

This is what is not easy about practicing patience when you pray for it. However, I have found it to be extremely helpful to pray on small verses that are easy to remember, such as Romans 12:12. It can be rejuvenating and create hope in me when I repeat the words of that verse.

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret–it leads only to evil. For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.” Psalm 37:7-9

The themes of hope and patience appear together multiple times, and I think that is on purpose. It can be easy to lose hope when you have waited on the Lord for so long. It can feel like He has abandoned you, lost interest, or doesn’t care enough to answer your prayer. However, it is critical that we never lose hope as Jesus followers because Jesus wants us to be a light for others to guide them towards Him. I encourage you to pray when it is the hardest to pray, when impatience starts to turn into bitterness and anger. Pray as often as you can, and see how Jesus can change your attitude toward a situation and create a more patient you.