1Th 5:14 And we urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all men.
Catch the word ‘all’ at the end of this verse. All: any, every, the whole, everyone, everyway, as many as, thoroughly, whosoever. ALL. Be patient with all men. Even those who may incessantly seem to bug you or need you or never seem to get it or ‘march to the beat of a different drum’. Or, even harder, those who have offended you or hurt you. Be patient with all men. Have long patience towards all men.
Yet, we can’t be patient forever can we? Jas 5:7-9 Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. 8 You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not complain, brethren, against one another, that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.
Did you read the beginning of the scripture above? Be patient until…the coming of the Lord. Sounds pretty much like forever to me! No excuses.
What is our example to follow?
2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
Isa 30:18 Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him.
God is incredibly patient with His children. The small things that cause me to act or feel impatient are nothing compared to God waiting for His children to respond to His call. He waits so that He might have compassion on the lost. So that all might be saved who are called. This kind of puts into perspective the silliness of my impatience. So, for me, I need an action plan to recognize and counteract my lack of patience.
Ps 37:7-9 Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret, it leads only to evildoing. For evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit the land.
God’s word has the answers. Thank you Lord! Rest (hold peace, quiet self), don’t fret, don’t get angry, forsake wrath (relinquish your right to anger).
Pr 15:18 A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, But the slow to anger pacifies contention. Don’t be the one causing trouble!
One of my grown children’s families say this to one another, “Are you helping or hurting?” Pretty good way of reminding themselves of the importance of helping a situation rather than making things worse. Read the next scripture.
Ecc 7:8-9 The end of a matter is better than its beginning; patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit. Do not be eager in your heart to be angry, for anger resides in the bosom of fools. Right? Do you look for what is wrong in others? Have you appointed yourself to police others’ words or actions? Do you assume to know someone’s heart or motivation and then judge? All of these attitudes come from a haughty spirit. Pride. Patience of spirit looks for good, assumes the best, is not proud, does not look to always correct others but is encouraging. Only God knows and understands the heart. Love is patient. Read again in 1 Corinthians 13.
1Co 13:4-5 Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,
By the grace of God, I managed to raise three children – by myself for several years – into adulthood. It’s difficult to be patient with children sometimes! It seems you have to repeat yourself a lot! Then, they mess up your ‘plans’ for the day or end up putting a kink in your schedule. It can get tiring saying the same thing over and over. It’s easier for me now to look back at what provoked my impatience with them at times and usually it was because things didn’t go the way I had planned. They weren’t acting the way I thought they should or they didn’t respond the right way or they would get tired and I still had things to do. Now, I think to myself, “Of course they had a hard time sometimes following my program, they’re just kids!”, and of course they acted like children – why is that so surprising? Did you ever catch yourself thinking or saying, “Stop acting like a baby”? Funny how children act like children, isn’t it?!
Patience can be challenging in every area of our lives. Work, relationships, family, projects, deadlines, and illness all affect the ideal in our minds that we expect. As I’ve gotten older, I’m slower. That means I’m okay with backing down a bit on my to-do list. Another benefit is I hold my plans a bit loose, knowing that there is great possibility that everyone and everything will probably not fall into my thinking as I see it, and it’s okay! The world won’t end unless Jesus says so and when that happens all of our plans become moot. And then, my patience will be perfected
Pr 14:29 He who is slow to anger has great understanding, But he who is quick-tempered exalts folly.
Jas 1:18-19 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we might be, as it were, the first fruits among His creatures. 19 [This] you know, my beloved brethren. But let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak [and] slow to anger; This sounds like patience to me…
Ga 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Eph 4:1-3 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, 3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Is there ever a time to correct or redirect others? Yes! We are to caution those who are defiant. 1Th 5:14 And we urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all men. But be careful to read the remainder of this verse. We are also to encourage the fainthearted, help the weak and be patient with all men.
Consider. God is faithful in His work. In us. In others. He requires us to be patient as He works. In His time, not ours. In His way, not ours. Through His children. We can have confidence in Him to do as He says.
2Th 3:3-5 But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil [one.] 4 and we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will [continue to] do what we command. 5 And may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.
Col 3:12-13 And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.
Patience requires a gentle approach, a gentle spirit.
Isa 40:11 Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, in His arm He will gather the lambs, and carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes.
2Co 10:1 Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ--I who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent!
Mt 11:29 "Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and YOU SHALL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.
Compassion. Humility. Meekness.
When we are patient, others are encouraged instead of disheartened.
God is patient with us as He gives us what we need to follow Him.
Ps 18:35 Thou hast also given me the shield of Thy salvation, and Thy right hand upholds me; and Thy gentleness makes me great.
Paul exercised patience with the Thessalonian church. He also reminded the church to be gentle or patient towards one another, “showing consideration for all men”.
1Th 2:7 But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children.
Tit 3:1-2 Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be uncontentious, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.
Practicing patience is considered wise.
Jas 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruit
Let’s pray for patience for one another that God may be glorified!
Col 1:9-12 For this reason also, since the day we heard [of it], we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please [Him] in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
