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PATIENCE--How to Get It

2/28/2012

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"God, I need patience, and I need it now!"

Been there. Done that. Got the t-shirt. Then discovered that's not how it works at all.

Most Christians subscribe to the somewhat facetious statement, "Don't pray for patience."

That statement is telling in that it shows how we think about God and His dealings in our life. It also shows why we are so slow to adapt to His ways.

God is not some cosmic genie just waiting around to fulfill our next self-centered request. We tend to think that if we pray for patience, then we will somehow see patience show up in our lives. And when it doesn't, we develop the extremely faulty (and lop-sided) theology that "God sometimes says, No."

The truth of the matter is that God said, Yes to your request for patience.

He gave you a parking lot on the freeway on the one day you were late for work.

He gave you a crowded store with only three bumbling cashiers open for service.

He gave you a flat tire in the pouring rain.

He gave you your little precious smearing "chocolate pudding" all over the bathroom.

He gave you your bank deposit disappearing into the ether.

And the list goes on and on, ad infinitum, ad nauseum.

Patience is a part of character. Impatience is also a part of character--or shows a lack of character. Aspects of what we call "character" are developed over time, not instantaneously manifested.

Gold in its raw form is hardly recognizable. It must be heated and hammered and separated from all that which is not gold in order for its true beauty to shine forth.

Likewise, patience is not demonstrated when all is going smoothly in your life. True patience is the quality needed in each of the scenarios listed above. Those situations are specifically designed for you to learn how to develop patience.

Pick any one of those listed, or recall your own situation from the recent past, and see how patience could have served you.

Better yet, look at how impatience serves you. Does getting upset and yelling solve the situation? Does that behavior make you happy, make you feel good? Does drumming your fingers on the counter help or hinder the cashier? Does yelling at the bank clerk find your money any faster? Does inching up on the driver in front of you make the light change any quicker? Wouldn't exercising patience help everyone involved breathe a little easier?

Patience is not merely waiting for something. It is waiting without anxiety, without nervousness.

Patience, then, calls for that character quality we looked at earlier--self-control.

Exercising patience can bring peace to a stressful situation. Exercising patience will take the edge off people's attitudes. When you can show patience in a situation, you help calm the nerves of those around you. When you help calm the nerves of those around you, they can get their job done better. When they can get their job done better, things will go more smoothly. When things begin to go more smoothly, you no longer need to be patient. When you no longer need to exercise patience, you will be happier.

And, after all...isn't that really why you are drumming your fingers? You just want to be happy, don't you?

A spiritual person realizes that everything in this life is only temporary and will soon pass. Therefore, a spiritual person has patience.

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Practical Bible Teaching is MOVING!

2/26/2012

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I am moving my long-standing blog from WordPress to Weebly. I have enjoyed my relationship with WordPress, but am moving all my different internet presences to the Weebly platform. WP does not allow for audio or video uploads without significant cost to do so. Weebly allows this option for free (though I have purchased the upgrade to better suit my purposes for my other blogs and websites).
WP has many nice features, some of which I will probably miss by making this transition. But, I feel the need to have audio/video capabilities--even though I do not have anything in that format at present. I guess I should say I want the option available if I need it.
So, for the time being, I will post my Practical Bible Teaching thoughts on both blog platforms. I will probably only do this for about six more posts after this one.
I want to give those of you have been following the WP blog an opportunity to make the transition by clicking on the Subscribe link below, or on the RSS Feed button. This will allow you to have this blog delivered to your inbox whenever I post.
I thank you for your interest in what this servant has to offer the Body of Christ and pray that you will continue to grow in the knowledge, grace, and love of the Lord Jesus Christ.

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    Dale Hill, PCCCA Certified

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    Dale has been sharing the practical application of the truths from the Bible for more than 40 years. He has often said, "People know how to shout the victory on Sunday, but can't figure out how to handle Monday." This blog is an attempt to help God's people on that journey.

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