I’ve been asking this question since the day I stepped into God’s embrace. Why do You put up with my foolishness, Lord? Why are You so patient with me?
One minute I’m praising, the next minute I’m grumbling. One minute I’m kind to others, the next minute I hurry past someone in need. One minute I vow to honor Him, the next minute I’m seeking glory for myself.
What a mess. Seriously, who could live with a person like that, let alone forgive them, let alone love them?
If you’ve been wondering the same thing, I’m so glad you’re here. A two-part answer is waiting for us in His Word.
First, God doesn’t just show us patience. He is Patience. It’s how He defines Himself.
Proof? His Word tells us that “God is love” (1 John 4:16) and also that “Love is patient” (1 Corinthians 13:4). It’s like that formula we learned in high school math. If A=B and B=C, then A=C. So, God = patience.
He said so Himself. When Moses went up to Mount Sinai, the Lord descended in a cloud (I’m still trying to get my head around what that must have been like) and proclaimed, “I am the Lord God. I am merciful and very patient with my people” (Exodus 34:6 CEV). Again, God = patience.
A more common translation for patience is “slow to anger” (NIV), and the one that best captures the original Hebrew is “longsuffering” (KJV). It’s a combo of two words—arak, meaning “long, patient, slow” and aph, meaning “nostril, nose, face, anger.”
In other words, God waits a very long time before He gets in your face. Literally, that’s what it means. (Do you love this?)
The Lord isn’t patient because we deserve it. He’s patient because it’s who He is. He doesn’t lose patience with those He loves, since patience is His very nature.
I just have to say, WOW. Like, how have I missed this for 30+ years?
A second reason why God is patient with us? His patience is necessary for our salvation.
Peter assures us the Lord “is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). A couple verses later, Peter says it straight out: “our Lord’s patience means salvation” (2 Peter 3:15).
If He wasn’t patient, we would be done for.
But He is patient. Therefore, we are saved.
[Liz pauses here to jump up and down with grateful joy.]
Paul reminds us that he—“the worst of sinners”—was shown mercy, so that “Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:16).
God waited for you, beloved. He did.
He is still waiting for others. That’s what compels us to share His love with everyone who crosses our path. Not just friends, family, and neighbors, but also strangers, who step in and out of our lives for a fleeting moment.
How do we do we share His love in 30 seconds or less? Not by preaching or prodding or pleading, but by being patient. Waiting instead of whining. Smiling instead of stewing. Taking our place in line with a calm spirit. Letting someone in need go ahead of us.
Since “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience” (Galatians 5:22 NASB), then patience is God working through us to reach those who are lost (and often don’t know it).
When we are patient in an impatient world, we show people the One who is patient with us.
I hope you’ll Share Your Thoughts below, describing what God’s patience means to you.
Your many comments last week were a huge encouragement to me and to others. Thanks for taking the time and making the effort!
Your grateful sister, Liz
@LizCurtisHiggs
I don’t know but I’m glad he is. I would have given up on me a long time ago.
PS – I’m currently in a ladies group studying your “The Girls Still Got It” and just wanted to thank you for making the bible so interesting. I love your use of humor, modern day scenarious and eloquent writing, all while teaching us lessons. I look forward to seeing you speak someday when you’re in the Cleveland/Akron area!
Thankful for his Patience . I am totally nothing without him . Needed this today . Thank you and God Bless!!!
I am praise God for his patience. Without it, I wouldn’t be here. I am humbled by His patience because I am not patient. And, I am convicted to show his patience in my life with others!
I do consider Our Father ultimately, supremely patient, but that is from my perspective. I think about Him, who sits at the beginning of time and at the end, and is outside time and yet right in the middle of time, everyday, with us. I believe He is able to be patient with us because He knows the plans He has for us, and He has all the time He needs to accomplish them. He is never in a hurry, is He? It only seems like it takes f o r e v e r for us to learn the lessons He has for us. But like the master who gives out the talents, He knows beforehand what each of us is capable of. And He is always challenging us to do just a l-l-l-i-i-i-t-t-t-l-l-l-e bit more. And we (I) can!
Thank you, Abba Papa!!
Compassion is so much deeper than pity or sympathy or so many other similar words………one can feel the warmth of the word.
God’s patience may mean I get another chance to be obedient to Him as He awakens me each day. A chance to tell my story for His glory; a chance to love Him more. To do His will. I am so thankful for His patience. He has allowed me to live over 54 years! He has given me all things , things I do not deserve on my own merit.
Love your insight Liz! Your article allowed me to see something that I’ve been struggling to see… God working in and through me. My life has slowed down drastically in the last couple of years. I’ve come to like moving through this life at a slower pace. It allows me to be patient, it allows me to be kind and thoughtful. It allows me to be in the moment. So reading this made me see that God IS working in and through me. Not ways I would have chosen, but his ways that are the best anyway! Thank you!
Thank you Liz. Your joy is so contagious!!
God’s patience is my salvation. His patience is also such a wonderful example to me. As for most women, patience is not the most natural virtue for me; how I long to share His love, grace and mercy to ALL who cross my path and that does require patience. So many times, I let the impatience of this world get in the way. You know, “I want it and I want it NOW”!! So thankful that God has patience enough to wait on me to catch up!
I am so thankful GOD is patient. Seems like Paul, why do i do the things i don’t want to do and not the things i desire to do. We are human and mess up so much. (yes even as Christians) But GOD patiently waits for us to turn to Him for our every need and loves us through our every mistake.
I am so lost without Him! thank you GOD for loving me and directing my steps even when they don’t go where i think they should but are always right where you need me to be!
Thanks so much for this. I never quite looked at patience this way but it’s awesome. IM so happy that God is patient because I have great intentios just not always great execution.
God is so very patience with us bc He loves us so very much. He gives ways to start fresh with Him in our daily walks.
What a miracle it is that he tolerates us. Loves us. Embraces us. Forgives us.
Pope Francis’ Christmas Eve homily focused on this. God’s infinite patience and how he tenderly embraces us at our lowest as well as our highest state of being.
Liz, I love how your ponderings so often resonate with wisdom that’s all around us, if we only tune in. Hmmm. Do you suppose that coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous (thank you, Dr. Einstein)? Love to you, Sister in Christ.
Love what you are doing this year – on focusing on who God is. This is so encouraging and helpful in my christian walk. Bless you heaps.
I am still here because He is so patient! But I love your description about slow to anger and how it means nostril and nose. I have been known to flare my nostrils when I get really angry and that is what it brought to mind. I don’t ever want God in my face flaring his nostrils!! LOL.
Thanks Liz!
Be Well
You’ve given me two things with this post:
1. A great comeback when my kids ask me why they have to learn geometry!
2. Reassurance that God doesn’t give up on me, even on days when I’m ready to give up on myself.
Thanks for your ministry!
“The Lord isn’t patient because we deserve it. He’s patient because it’s who He is.” Love it!
I am watching a librarian right now being very patient with an elderly gentleman who is trying to access the internet. I never really thought about the times that I exhibit patience in those brief encounters as sharing the love of Christ. It will make me think more about being patient as a ministry of His love. Thanks!
God is our Father. As parents, we all have patience (though not infinite) with our children. God is the ultimate parent. He wants us to come to Him with faith like a child because we are His children. We are to love Him the same way our little ones love us and run to us and cling to us. He loves us, forgives us, and is patient as we continue to fall short. So humbling to think that someone as unworthy as me is given such grace by God.
So thankful for your words of encouragements!! It’s like you know exactly where my thoughts are going!! Praise the Lord for His infinite patience and mercy and love!! God bless!!
His patience is so far beyond my comprehension that I don’t even come close to understanding it. If you knew my whole story, you would get why I say that. He’s still being so extremely patient with me, even at 74, and I don’t begin to understand why, but I’m so glad he is. I don’t understand a love like His. But He is! ! Love and patience and so much more.
“Jump(ing) up and down with grateful joy” right along with you, Liz. Since God is Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, etc., hopefully I am growing up to be more and more like Him. This takes Him being patient with me, and me being patient with myself AND with others. Loving this study with you!
WOW! You hit that one right on. I constantly pray for patience, and He gives me reasons (people) to be patient. I always say, “Be careful what you pray for, you may get it.” Your comments could have been written by me over the years. Like St. Paul, I do what I don’t want to, and don’t do what I should. I come in contact with many homeless, lonely and mentally challenged people through outreach with my church. I know that I must show patience even if I don’t feel like it. Sometimes it becomes very “trying.” So, yes, I needed this verse! Thanks so much.
I don’t know why God is so patient with me, but I am so very thankful He is! Like He said in Lamentations 3:22-23 “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness”. God is good!
I am an elementary music teacher, and in response to a sermon on Sunday, I have been specifically praying for the Lord to help me be more patient with my students (so your blog this week is a wonderful “God thing”). I so want my first response to not be words of aggravation with those kids who “push my buttons” but for the Spirit to “hold o’er my being absolute sway.” In the midst of a lesson, I can testify to an abrupt change in my attitude, spirit, and words when dealing with one of these students (I didn’t make it with my first response – I’ll keep praying about that). But I was so aware of the Lord taking control – it was so Him and so not me. Praise be to our patient God who wants all things good for His children!
First time commenting… New to your blog.
Thank you for this Truth. I can remember growing up and thinking I can Never have the fruit of patience. All my life (now too), people commented on how Impatient I am. I figured that the fruit of patience was only meant for super Christians, pastors, Bible teachers etc. BUT by the Grace of God, He has and continues to show me that I too can partake in that particular Fruit. I have matured a lot, I am able to wait, but there are still areas that point out the need of Jesus! I am Much relieved to see that He Is Patience, and because this is Who He is, I can come and receive much more from Him, and then in turn give to others.
I am so Joyful to have found this Blog, to hear God from a worthy woman. Looking forward to many days of learning!
Thank you Ms. Higgs!
I’m overcome with joy that He’s patient with me, because I don’t know where I would be today! I praise Him daily for His patience and love.
the art of practicing patience is a learned skill! one that i get better at as i grow older and (somewhat) wiser! All i can say is thank the lord that He is patient and kind. We expect His patience, yet we get ruffled at his patience with others and this was a good reminder that he is working on all of us!
I thank God all the time for His patience. I find I have more patience with others when I keep thoughts of God with me throughout the day and remind myself this life is fleeting, what we do for God is what matters. So when I start to feel my patience slipping I talk to God and He helps me. Of course, I don’t always remember to do that unfortunately. When I do, a peace settles over me and I find my frustration melt away.
Thank you Liz for this Beautiful insight. And so Thankful of Gods Patience with me. Just one more of His ways of saying I Love You to us all. ❤️
Isn’t it amazing that in the midst of our humanness and our being so fickle that God is patient with us and loves us just the same. Amen
Oh I just jump up and down with you Liz that God is so patient with us! And for those He is waiting for to come into His kingdom 🙂 Patience to me is one of those rare commodities today, from what I see around me. I love to be able to let others see what that is…letting someone go in front of me at the checkout stand, opening doors and just plain, smiling and helping others whether I know them or not! What a joy to spread His love to those around me.
How wonderful that He is so patient with us! A very good reminder on a day when I found myself being impatient and annoyed.
So thankful to serve & love a God who is patient. I’ve been trying to memorize the book of James this year (my New Year’s Resolution). And in chapter 1:3-4 it says, “knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” Only trials produce this patience & I, for one, have a hard time waiting for God to work! I’m always thankful for His timing though, because it’s always perfect. When I meditate on these verses in James, it appears that when patience is produced in our lives, we become more “perfect” or mature, exhibiting God in our lives. Also, when we possess patience, we need nothing else because we are lacking nothing. Kinda cool, huh? So this year, I’ll be working on being more patient–with God’s timing, with my husband, with my friends, with myself. And enjoying the benefit of God’s patience, thanking Him for the salvation He has already granted & waiting to see what He has in store for me.
Thanks Liz, for writing this wonderful blog! I look forward to reading it each week!
God is patient with us because He loves us so much more than we can ever imagine dream or believe. He would wait for us forever. It’s so easy to love God because He doesn’t force His will on us but lets us decide how we want to live our lives and when we choose for Him we are free and become more patient with it all!
Have you ever dealt with the federal government, or a lawyer’s office, or try to get a referral to a specialty doctor (orthopedist)from your primary care physician and the pcp’s office sends blood work instead of x-rays? Is it me, or are those in service to the public getting dumber? Oh yeah, I need patience, now! Over the years of being in government myself, I’ve prayed for the public whom I served that they would recognize my willingness to “go to the mat” to find a way or make one for whatever their question, complaint, or comment was…find an answer, get the right person on the phone for them, or get a letter written to them regarding a comment. Now that I’m on the other end of the phone…or on the other side of the desk, praying for the calm/patience that the Lord demonstrates and gives us, if we ask, even when encountering “dim bulbs”, the outcomes can be glorious…and connections, memorable. Thanks, Lord. This woman needs patience every day of her life; keeping my eye on the Almighty and His Son, it is gratefully received.
I’m so thankful He is patience! Showing me how to be patience, with the doctors, with blood numbers – Showing me daily – How He LOVES me!! thank you Liz for showing me this : His patience means salvation-LOVE IT!!!
I’m such an incredibly impatient person at times.
Equating love with patience is very convicting and yet encouraging!!
I love your equation that God=Patience. It reminds me of God’s greatness that you addressed last week. Many times I wonder how God can remain patient with me and my doubting Thomas behavior. BUT all praise and glory to God for His patience and His manifested greatness.
Last year we had a “high end” home to sell. It had been on the market for seven months. Nothing “high end” in our area, was selling. One Monday morning we sat at our kitchen bar, discouraged, sad and oh so anxious to move on to the next phase of our life. I said to my husband that we needto pray boldly. God says to pray boldly. So through tears we prayed boldly. Not expecting an answer but feeling obedient. TWO HOURS, not days or weeks; TWO Hours later our realtor phoned. There was interest in our home. Thirtysix hours later we had an offer. Three days later we had a signed contract. The purchasers never saw the house until inspection day. I am so thankful God is patient with my doubting spirit. We tell our story to ANYONE, EVERYONE who will listen. We boldly proclaim God’s greatness Our concluding statement is, to God be the glory! Psalm 115:1
God = Patience I love it! I am so thankful for His patience with me.
Patience to me is overwhelming. GOD’S patience is to me an extremely huge blessing and humbling as well so I can learn to be patient. It is hard to follow Christ. Even others Christians d o not understand sometimes the patience you will have with someone because you have prayed aND God said….be p atient. We all just need to love and talk with one another as God’s family to understand this I think. God bless you all in your own personal journey of patience 🙂
I am so blessed to come across your website. I thank you for your words of inspiration! God is so patient with me when I drift away from Him not feeling His presence because I am so busy with “other” things. He always welcomes me back. When my dear sister-in-law was dying over Christmas I could feel His amazing presence everywhere. God is so good to us. I need to get to one of your retreats.
This was a blessing to read Liz, thank-you breaking it down in a way that can be clearly understood. I for one still have some work to do when it comes to having patience. It makes me even more thankful God is Patience or I would be in deep trouble at times.
I thought I would share this with you since it falls in line with your post:
Last week as my youngest son waited for his turn for blood work an elderly man came in after him ,”I asked if he would like to trade #’s with him so he was n’t kept waiting as long, he nodded but when I asked the elderly man he replied,” No thank-you, I have lot’s of time.”That moment I sat in the middle of true patience.
I too, am pausing to jump up and down with joy for the patience God
has shown! What a gift your encouraging posts are, Liz. Thank you.
Glenda Pasco, WA
Liz– every time I read your posts it seem to jump out at me–saying— is this you? Sometimes I know my patience runs thin and I have to let God teach me to be more patient. This is very hard to do but with God’s help I know I can “do all things thru Christ which strengthens me” and he will. Thank you for sharing this with us–God Bless
Liz– every time I read your posts it seem to jump out at me–saying— is this you? Sometimes I know my patience runs thin and I have to let God teach me to be more patient. This is very hard to do but with God’s help I know I can “do all things thru Christ which strengthens me” and he will. Thank you for sharing this with us.
God’s patience means love and salvation to me. His love and patience through all my disobedience and sin transformed my life and saved me!
Now I’m free! Praise God!
It’s also a reminder of the example He has set for me to follow with everyone in my life and people I that cross my path each day.
Thank you for sharing, may God bless you richly.
I am so thankful for God’s patience with me, and it’s my daily prayer to be patient with others. I am a special education teacher and I need God to supply me with patience every hour of my day, and I try to teach the kids to be patient with each other, with me,and with themselves. My class is mostly boys right now, but I have one very dear little girl among them who often repeats to the boys what I have said to her. When talking about having patience, she will tell the boys, ( and many times ME) to “Be patience!” She unintentionally uses the wrong format of the word, but maybe she’s really saying it the way I need to hear it : Be more like Jesus. Really BE patience. God is still working on that with me, but I love the daily reminder!
I, too, often wonder why He is so patient with me since I seem to screw up quite a bit and there have been just a few times in my life when He’s gotten in my face. Boy! Was I ashamed! It was because of situations I didn’t handle very well and another situation where my actions were making me physically and emotionally ill because of the guilt of what I was doing.
I know God loves me and only does this for my good. I am adored but there are times I honestly don’t know why He adores me. At these times, I immerse myself in His Word to get reassurance and my day goes a lot better.
Liz, thanks for your words. The Lord truly blessed you with this gift to help those of us who need encouragement and are struggling to just put one foot in front of the other. I am so looking forward to seeing you in Bowling Green, KY in March!
As I look back over the events of today I kept God foremost in my mind almost all day. I had patience beyond what I have previously known. While driving to and from work, answering phone calls, fixing errors and speaking with the public I was just embraced in this feeling of love from God. Displaying patience does bring about a sense of peace in ones own life. What a timely message, Liz.
Thanks for this post! I am so thankful that our God is patient! And what a thought, be patient, even when waiting in line, so others can experience Jesus! A bit of conviction right there! Lord, help me to not whine but to wait quietly. People need to see you, even when we aren’t very good at it!!
Liz,
I came to know you last year when you and Ann VosKamp did the video together at Christmas. I bought your Christmas book at that time. NOW- I read your devotion on Proverbs 31 and saw that you have a blog and everything, so I paused and jumped up and down. 😉
I am thrilled about your weekly devotion; your are so real and down to earth, and you are such a gifted lady and writer who glorifies God.
I would have to say that God taught me patience 3 years ago when I began to keep my grandson, Will, who is now 4!!! The Lord slowed me down after retirement from 31 years of teaching to be able to enjoy this little fella. Just today, I was reading to him, and he had to go do something else, and I just laid on the bed calmly waiting for him to come back in–I just thanked God at that moment for teaching and giving me His patience with one of his little children. God is soooo good. I can’t wait to read more of “you”.
Patiently in His Love,
Mema Jeanne
Two thoughts came to mind as I read this post- the first is that outwardly I appear to be a very patient person. I wait my turn, give up my parking spot and can calmly and patiently explain thIngs to people over and over and over. However, by the time I get home, my patience is spent! I can’t spare even 5 seconds to explain email or posting a resume or something to my woefully technology challenged husband. God forgive me.
Secondly, I have been praying for a miracle for YEARS. I am tired of waiting and I whine and complain and tell God that I can’t wait anymore. It’s possible He is still trying to change me as I
Love, patience, salvation – words with tremendous depth that increase in understanding as the Holy Spirit teaches us something new each time we experience them. Thanks, Liz, for sharing yet another way to view the equation. Thank you, LORD, for using Liz to give us more insight.
Thank you, Liz – that was so encouraging! I have just discovered your website/blog and am loving your down to earth manner. I had to lean on Him for patience when I homeschooled my special needs grandchild for around 5 years. God answered prayer! I am retired, and after more than 50 years following the Lord, I am loving how we can now communicate through the Internet! It certainly adds a whole new dimension to our walk! Blessings.
“If He wasn’t patient, we would be done for.
But He is patient. Therefore, we are saved.”
Praise God! What an awesome Father God we have! I can picture Him with His arms outstretched, pursuing me, patiently waiting for me to come to my senses and turn back to Him. He knows that I am but dust. His patience protects me from His power that could squish me like a bug. Thank you for showing me this facet of our Good God. Our Perfectly patient parent.
So thankful for His patience! I need to be a better example of this characteristic
Without His Patience and Tender Mercy I would be sucked in to the worlds, and at times my own, unhealthy expectations. He does not want us to be hard on ourselves – He’ll reveal some not so nice things about ourselves to us, in His most unique and Loving way. I never feel lost when the Lord is showing me something I need to learn, even when it’s real and raw/ I feel loved and a sense of relief that my Father is waiting and correcting, most lovingly. His power and message and messengers, such as you, Liz are what reels my tired spirit back to Him to show me truth.
God’s patience means He doesn’t give up on us. Several years ago, I got involved with the wrong man, and I basically told God I was choosing this guy over Him. For months I kept hearing the same question, “Why are you settling for 2nd best?” and I’d start rattling off a list. After I had moved in with this guy for a couple months, I got this sudden urge to go to the pool. It is July in TX, but only one other person was there for about 10 minutes, then I was all by myself. suddenly I heard a voice ask “why are you settling for 2nd best when I want to give you My very best?” My only answer was, “I don’t know.”
I now know just how much God loves me- He patiently wooed me back to Himself
Thank you for blessing us with your words and sharing those of the Lord we most need to hear. Patience is my least developed virtue. I have come to see, and try to remind myself, that when I have moments of frustration and impatience it is God reminding me to look to Him for guidance. I now try to ask the Lord what it is that I need to learn and know in that situation.
This was an eye-opening explanation and a ‘math problem’…that’s probably why I didn’t see this for 48 years – I’m not a math whizz! 🙂 Loved this view of our God = Patient – and so thankful He is!
For all the times I said I will ‘remember’ the awesome ‘deeds’ you’ve done for me Lord…and then forget. For all the times I think I’m going to be bold and witness…and don’t. For all those times I think I will NOT open my mouth with a retort…and then do.
Thanks for this Liz.
Such a good reminder that He is the ‘lifter of our head’, when we blow it again…
Hi Liz
Thank you for the beautiful devotional. It brought back beautiful memories for me. When I think of me a sinner being patient I go back to almost two years ago when I was caring for my daddy who was dying. I had to help him into his scooter, then to the chair..electric also that buzzed him up the stairs, then the big trip to the chair…..3 steps up then about 10 feet to the chair…..undress him, bathe him etc….He would always say to me…”Sorry I’m so slow Hon”. And my reply was always it’s okay dad we have all day to be together. I’m yours till the end….and I was till they rolled him out of the house and his soul with the Lord. But that is the only time truly been heartfelt patient. Patience =LOVE I’m glad I felt that…I have something to work towards again. I just know God must love me a lot. And I thank him for that.
I love the equations! They help to make the point stick. Thank you, Liz for your exuberance and ability to make a point in a way that really sticks. I can’t wait until next week!
So very thankful God is patient with me. Many times I want to give up and be a failure, but God never does! He is patient in all areas of my life. Thanks for the reminder that I need to show that same patience to those around me!!
Well I know I wouldn’t be where I am today in my journey with Him if He wasn’t patient. I have a feeling He crossed His arms and shook His hear a few times.
Knowing He has been patient with me, has made me more patient with others. He is truly my example.
I do LOVE THIS !
A more common translation for patience is “slow to anger” (NIV), and the one that best captures the original Hebrew is “longsuffering” (KJV). It’s a combo of two words—arak, meaning “long, patient, slow” and aph, meaning “nostril, nose, face, anger.”
In other words, God waits a very long time before He gets in your face. Literally, that’s what it means. (Do you love this?)
That is patience! Oh how I can be so quick to get into someone’s face. Instead of being patient, giving room and intervening only if necessary, but when it it necessary it is okay to be bold!
What English/Hebrew Dictionary to you use Liz? I have been shopping for one… but they are all Greek to me !
Your explanation of God’s patience created excitement in me and according to the above replies, many others! He is patience because He is Still Working on Me! Thanks for who you are and what you do to spread His message to us.
I’m so thankful that God is so patient with each one of us! It gives us all hope. Thank you for, Liz, for sharing these Bible studies. I’m getting a lot out of them!
So blessed reading the rich responses…and Liz thank you for your patience in writing such an awesome picture of our Patient God…:-) jumping with yall
“Our Lord’s patience means salvation” definitely applies to me. I was a church member for 52 years and did everything from cooking to teaching Sunday school to visitation. But 2 1/2 years ago, God saved my wretched soul. Only me and God know how bad my insides (head and heart)were. I am daily amazed at His patience and His love for me. His salvation is the greatest weight loss plan I know because it does feel as if the burden of sin was lifted off of me and I am so free. I will be ETERNALLY grateful for His patience.
What perfect timing! I am struggling to be patient with my teenage son. I am not winning the battle but I know the Lord will still be patient with me and guide me in this struggle.
Thanks Liz!
I know any patience I have comes from God. Even when I do not feel like being patient, but express patience, God fills me with the most amazing comfort and peace. Practice makes close to perfect.
Liz I am truly thankful for God’s incredible patience with this imperfect girl.
I love reading this study and am thankful that I clicked yes to be included on this study. I am being very blessed by your teachings. Can’t wait for next Wednesday to continue.
Liz I don’t know. But I’m very grateful to him. He has bless me from nothing to everything I need. I went from no job to a good job. From being a temp to becoming permanent. Not knowing how I was going to pay my rent to He got my back. I was really mad at God for all the things I went through but now. The Lord is blessing me right now. Thank you Liz for your encouragement and your books.
I remember a lady let me go in front of her at the check out. She said – you have 2 young children so your time is precious. I learned years later that she is a Christian. She is now in my church and home group, and suffers senile dementia – she is not sure of anything at all, but the word of God and repeats, again and again – let us love one another as Christ has loved us. She is such a delight.
I can’t thank God enough for being so patient with me. I think I have patience, then I see myself for who/what I really am, as you said, getting stewed having to wait in a long line, or traffic when I’m in a hurry and many more times I’m sure. But when I sit back and realize I’m doing these things, I know it’s our Heavenly Father gently calling me back to reality and “being patient with me”, it’s then that I realize I need him all the more. Thanks Lizzie for opening our eyes with your teachings. God bless you!
Well, because He’s God. We can only begin to understand (or just have the wits to ask the question)why He loves us and wants us to be in relationship with Him. His ways are MEGA MUCH higher than ours! I am thankful that He is patience. Thank you, Liz for sharing yourself with us, well put.
Well, once again, happy tears while reading your blog. I feel His patience when I am anxious, can’t sleep, and just start talking to Him. Then I remember I’m supposed to listen, too. It is almost like a hug, the patience and His peace. Ahh…
All my life patience has not been a virtue. I’ve prided myself in the fact that I’ve improved over the decades, but always felt i would never actually achieve patience. Now that you have explained it in this manner, and i realize God is patience, I’ll be picking up the dumbbells of exercise in patience and putting a Lot more effort into the exercise. Thank you so much for helping to redefine it for me and for always making me laugh.
I am so thankful for your blog posts. God is patience. Yes, He is!! I’m so very, very thankful for you and reminding me how patient He is with me daily!
wow! this was so encouraging for me; like a fresh breeze on a hot day. thanks so much for a timely reminder about [some of] who He is. I’m thankful
Sometimes I roll my eyes when one of my kids does the same thing for the umpteenth time, and I say,”Really, that again?” It amazes me that the God of the Universe never does that to me, even though He certainly could!
Gods patience in my life means, when I see the man who lied to and betrayed me(among other things) walking acrossed the street, I no longer feel the urge to run him over……he is so blessed that I have God in my life and so am I…… 😉
I was late in this study as it was my husband’s 80th birthday the 16th, and we had our family give him an special time of celebrating God’s goodness in giving him 80 years of life.
I am, so amazed at how patience God is, as I am not in the least, and He keeps reminding me that I need His patience to keep taking care of my husband who, is a diabetic and has short term memory loss, so it is a challenge each day of patience and love. Many times I want to give up, but God is on my side and I can do all thing through Christ who strengthens me. God =patience!
I wonder often how God can show me so much patience. I get so frustrated with myself, every single day because I continue to let him down. I’m.so thankful that he doesn’t give up on me because I certainly would if I were him. His patience with me is a testimony of how much he really does love me. Thank you God for this amazing blessing.
Thank you for sharing your insight in to patience. It has given me some new ways to think about patience.