Power for Relationships:
Endurance Not Impatience

Scripture Reading:  Colossians 3:12-15

Key Verse: Colossians 3:12

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

We have seen that the first step in having healthy relationships is release not revenge.  The second step is to endure not be impatient.  The Apostle Paul’s approach in our printed key verse for today was to think of it as clothing.  We are to clothe ourselves with patience.  We may be tempted to express impatience, but with God’s help we put on patience.

            There is no such thing as a relationship that does not need patience.  Even our relationship with the Lord needs patience.  Psalm 37:7 reminds us to “be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.”  Every human being that decides to be in a relationship with another human being must expect to put patience into practice.

            Impatience expresses our disdain and drains the relationship of energy.  If impatience is not controlled, the relationship will become terminally ill.  People may stay together for various reasons, but if impatience is freely expressed, the life in the relationship will soon be gone!

            Being patient with one another does not mean we never feel impatient.  It means we control it.  Those we are in relationship with don’t know we are feeling impatient.  The relationship avoids the destructive work of impatience and we grow in maturity in Christ!

Father, I will lean heavy on your strength to be patient today with those around me.  Thank you for your patience with me!  In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.