Photos from a gift shop in the old city.
I am recovering from my cold, but last night i had a bad fall. I slipped on some water on the porch (in the dark) and had to struggle real hard to get up. My Sheeba tried to encourage me by wagging her tail. I did not disturb or alarm Mum and Aunt, they were a few feet away.
Anyway, my left elbow and knee are quite painful. Painkillers are doing for me.
Let me share this essay about patience which puts it in a new light.
Is Patience Dangerous?
Ed Welch
We can’t work on everything at once so we prioritize. Do you have any particular spiritual priorities right now? Are you focused on anything specific?
Is patience high on your list of priorities?
Is it in the top two or three?
If so—you are in danger. Yes, danger.
“Love is patient, love is kind” (1 Corinthians 13:4). I believe that. Patience covers a good bit of love’s terrain. But consider how it might be dangerous when it becomes our primary agenda.
Patience can be self-righteous
Patience, at least the way we apply it, can mean this: “You are messed up. I’m not. But, being the generous type, I will wait until you finally get it and reach my level.” Too often, patience is actually no agenda at all. The real agenda is for the dolts around us who need to change.
Patience without humility is self-righteousness. It leaves underlying resentment and anger unattended.
Patience can be passive
If we know anything about ourselves, we know that we are not perfect. We expect to have a long agenda for growth and change. Patience, however, tends to just sit around and wait. It has a keener vision for other people’s sins than it does for one’s own sin and weaknesses. This makes it a hopeless goal because it lacks furvor for daily growth. Instead, it waits to be “tried” by people or events.
Patience can be silent
Along with the smug self-righteousness that can seep into patience, another problem is that patience offers no compelling reason to speak with the other person. Patience tends to be silent, and, especially in close relationships, the last thing you want to do is be silent when the other person is being sinful or even irritating. If we are bothered by something that has happened in a relationship, our kingdom instincts should be to speak about the matter in a way that is humble and edifying. From this perspective, I would be so sad if my wife or friends were “patient” with me.
Patience without a willingness to speak openly and in the best interests of the relationship is cowardice, even hatred.
Patience is best when paired with kindness
Yes, patience is a fruit of the Spirit, in which case it works best when it rests on a godly explanation:
The Lord is so patient with me—so patient. And other people have to be patient with me every day. Therefore, it is my honor to be able to extend that patience to others. Usually patience will speak to the other person, sometimes it won’t.
This version is less dangerous. But it could still use an addition. To be safe, we should remember Paul’s words (above) and add kindness. While patience is willing to cover minor offenses, kindness is busy strategizing ways to do good. Patience-kindness is less prone to sitting around and waiting for change in others, and it avoids the arrogance and cowardice that can lie hidden under motives that can be more deceptive than we realize.
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Edward T. Welch, M.Div., Ph.D., is a counselor and faculty member at CCEF and holds a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology with a neuro-psychology specialty from the University of Utah as well as a Master of Divinity degree from Biblical Theological Seminary. Ed has been counseling for over twenty-six years and has written many books and articles on biblical counseling.
10 Fertilize my soul:
"But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing", James 1: 4.
Patience is good, but patience doesn't mean "fatalism". It something different. The pest type of patience is patience with prayer.
Thank you for sharing that verse David. God bless you on your journey.
You are right Zim, patience powered by prayer and godly attitude.
Amrita, I pray that you feel better soon.
~Ron
Patience in the Bible often means not sitting by passively and waiting for something to happen, but actively following God's general will for our lives while we wait for His specific will to be revealed. It is sometimes translated "longsuffering" because when we are patient with others who mistreat us, it often causes us pain. And, patience can also be painful because it is the result of going through trials (Romans 5:3: And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience). Amrita, I am blessed by your blog and will follow it, and I invite you to follow mine, Saved by Grace
http://savedbygracebiblestudy.blogspot.com/ Love in Christ, Laurie Collett
Dear Amrita,
I'm afraid I am not patient at all. The good Lord has had to teach me some lessons, and he still does.
I will strive though to become "12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." Romans 12:12
I'm praying for your immediate recovery though. You have so many who are dependant on you.
Dear Ron, thank you for your prayers. I need them.
Dear Felisol, I lack in patience too. The Lord is teaching me slowly, one step forward , two steps back kind of way. He is patient with me. I need your prayer. I used a hot water bottle on my sore, swollen joints tonight.
Dear Laurie, welcome to my blog and thank you so much for your kind and encouraging comment. I will visit you and have online fellowship with you. God bless you.
Thanks, Amrita, for your kind reply and for following my blog, Saved by Grace (http://savedbygracebiblestudy.blogspot.com/). I appreciate the opportunity for online fellowship with you, and I will keep you in my prayers for good health. Love in Christ, Laurie
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