Patience and pride are the two most difficult human attributes to overcome. I have heard over the years that patience is an art and yet, I know many woman that have the gift of patience. So, is it an art or a choice? And then there is pride. What makes one person full of pride and another humble?
I really couldn't tell you because I struggle with both. I am patient when I am standing in a grocery line or when I hear screaming children, but I am never patient when it comes to waiting for an event to occur and nothing is happening. And then there is my pride, I suffer from wanting to be the best at everything. Not that I achieve it often but surrendering has never been something that comes easy to me.
We will die by our lack of patience and our overwhelming pride. Can you imagine a God that had no patience? Scary isn't it? As for pride, I think there are times when some pride is necessary but the overwhelming need to be better than God is our downfall. We are not perfect and therefore, we must surrender our pride to Him.
If this is hitting you where you live, believe me I feel your pain. A true test of faith is when a woman that is Type A can be patient and let God work. Another step of faith is humbling ourselves before God and realizing we don't have all the answers and we definitely aren't perfect. It's hard when God chooses for us to wait on Him. It's harder when He shows us that we need to be humble.
How do we work through these issues? Like everything in our lives, we must go to Scripture. One time of reading it won't cure us but meditating on the words will help us be convicted, we will repent, and God will mold us in His image. Not bad for a day's work!
Romans 15: 4 NKJV:
For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
1 Timothy 6:11 NKJV:
But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.
Hebrews 6: 12 NKJV:
That you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Proverbs 29: 23 NKJV:
A man's pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor.
Proverbs 11: 2 NKJV:
When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom.
I realize this is a lot to chew on today. But I would encourage you to examine your life and see if patience and pride are something you struggle with. If they are, meditate upon God's word and ask Him to forgive you today. His love will correct us but we must choose daily to die to our patience and pride. I would rather have hope and wisdom in Jesus, than to fall at my own hand.
My prayer today:
LORD teach us Your ways. Provide understanding and help us to have more patience, especially when we can't see. Give us hope, gentleness, and honor as we humble ourselves to You. Please forgive us when we grow impatient and when we believe we have the power to do all things. Encourage us to help others that fall from these same weaknesses. Thank you for helping us to admit them and to move through them with the help of the Holy Spirit. Our desire is to be molded and made new through You. Thank you for providing insight into our weaknesses and for loving us through Scripture. We bow down to You and humbly ask for correction so that we might have Godly perspective. AMEN
Until tomorrow...
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