character

Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city. – Proverbs 16:32 (NLT)

We often put a lot of emphasis on what we do. If we get good grades or make the winning shot at basketball then we’re a success. And while getting good grades and doing well at sports is really great, they are not all there is to life. Success in life is more than just what you do. It’s also things like having self-control and being patient. Do you have the self-control to say no to peer pressure? Are you patient when things get tough in your life?

Often, the difficult times in our lives help us develop character. When things are going good, it’s easy to thank God and be happy. When things are hard and you don’t know if you can go on, that’s when your character is shown. What do you do when you’ve got more homework than time to complete it? What do you do when you’re pressured by your friends to do ungodly things? Who you are and what you do in those situations show off the habits you’ve developed in your life up to this point.

So instead of getting upset by difficulty, try to look at it in a positive light. Difficult situations can be a time for you to grow and practice patience and self-control. Decide to let difficulty make you better. Choose to work on the habits and attitudes of your heart and grow closer to God during these times.

Knowing this, that the trying of your faith works patience. – James 1:3 (KJ 2000 Bible)

If we’re honest, we all hate being patient. Have you ever prayed and asked God for something and then you had to be patient and wait until you got the results you prayed for?

A lot of times, we are impatient because we haven’t seen the results we wanted to see in our lives yet. We often move too early or stop too soon because we weren’t patient. Being patient is tough and it requires a lot of trust in God. It doesn’t come to us naturally, it’s something we have to work on.

However, it’s often in difficulty that we get to develop patience. When things are tough, we often want to move God or help God out to get quicker results. However, it’s when we truly trust God and are patient that we see good results.

Today’s Truth: When we trust God and are patient, we will see good results.

So today, if there’s something that you’ve prayed for but haven’t seen yet, don’t be discouraged. Look at it as an opportunity to develop patience in your life. Realize that God hasn’t forgotten you or let you down, it just takes some time to see the results you prayed for. Don’t give up or quit too soon, but patiently trust God knowing that He will come through for you.

But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing. – James 1:4 (KJ 2000 Bible)

Have you noticed how many things in life take time? If you want to get your driver’s license, you’ve got to take driver’s ed classes, study, practice driving and take a test. There are steps to follow and a process for being able to drive legally.

The issue for most of us is that we don’t want to be patient in the process. We want the license but don’t want to put in the time, energy and patience to get the license. We just want that license now.

Today’s Bible verse talks about patience. The choices and attitudes we display while we are waiting show the character of our heart. Patience isn’t easy. It would be easier if the problems we had in your life would just go away and we were immediately successful. However, it’s often when we’re waiting that we have opportunities to develop godly character.

So today, if you’re not where you want to be, stay encouraged. Trust God and trust the process. Learn to be patient and content knowing that in this time of waiting, you’re building the character that will set you up for success later in life.

We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised. – Hebrews 6:12

A lot of the time we focus on the importance of faith and forget how much patience plays a role in obtaining the promises of God. We need faith because that’s what calls the promises of God into being. However, patience is what will keep you going when you haven’t seen the promise yet.

The importance of patience is often overlooked. Patience is what kept Sarah going after she had a promise from God that said she would be a mother. And then year after year, she hadn’t conceived a child. Sarah had to be patient until she received the promise God gave her.

God has given us all promises. And yet we often want to give up on the promises of God when trials come. We think it would be easier to give up than to endure. However, you only learn from the trials you endure. Patience is what keeps us going in the middle, between the promise of God and seeing that promise come to pass in our lives.

So today, remember to practice patience. It isn’t easy waiting on the promises God gave you, but remember that God is faithful. If He’s given you a promise He will bring it to pass in your life. You’ve got to just be patient until you see the promise come to pass in your life.