We all expect God to be patient with us, but are we patient with our spouses, are we patient with others. Every day that passes, our Christian character is put to the test as we interact with people but more especially, how we treat our spouse and family. My wife and i have really struggled in this area, as i know i have exceeded my patience quota with her...and sometimes i dont practise this extended patience philosophy.
May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy… Ephesians 1:11 (He empowers us to be not only patient, but joyful in the midst of it!)As Christians, we are called to mutually submit to one another. But there will be times when one spouse doesn’t meet the needs of the other. At those times, patience is called for.
First of all, does God expect us to show patience when our spouse is letting us down? I think so.And we are called to be Christlike. There is no question that we should be kind and patient in our dealings with everyone, and I think ESPECIALLY our spouse.Sometimes patience means living off the reserves in our love tank when our love language isn’t getting spoken and our tanks are running low. Patience means you have to wait.Everybody waits, but not everybody waits patiently or with grace. What makes patience so difficult?
Patience stems from a deep level of unselfishness, something that doesn’t come naturally to most of us. As unnatural as selflessness may feel, being selfish in your marriage is a surefire way to cause problems. Not only do we find ourselves waiting on trivial, every day matters, but as married couples, we’re often waiting for our worldly dreams to come true. For my wife and I it often seems like we never get a break, like our dreams are taking so long to come to reality and the frustration makes us impatient with each other. But "wait" does not have to be a four letter word. Patience truly is a virtue. God wants us to be obedient to Him in seeking His will and timing for our lives, and not just our own.
Even in sadness and uncertainty, God has great plans in store. He will bless our obedience and give us more than we could have ever dreamed possible according to His will for our lives. In the meantime, recognize the blessings you have right now in your spouse and in your married life together even in the midst of waiting.2 Peter 1:5-6 "For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, patience; and to patience, godliness."What are you waiting for today? What is your goal, or dream, or plan for the future? Have you prayed about these plans, and given them to God? Are you seeking His timing on your life, or clinging to your own?
There is such joy and freedom that comes when we surrender the burden of our timepieces to Jesus. Hand Him your watch, and be content to keep your eyes on God’s clock. His ways are so much higher than ours, His knowledge so infinite, His timing so perfect. We can trust that if we wait until His timer dings, blessings will be sure to follow.