God the Father and God the Son are patient with us. God doesn’t send lighting down to fry us or sweep us away with the Red Sea. He endures. He waits. Jesus prays for us. God is patient because he does not wish “that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9b ESV).

Our love relationship with Christ should move us to be patient with every person around us, whether they’re our spouse or a stranger. Patience is merely evidence of our love for God and the people around us. Centering ourselves on the wonderful, intimate love of Jesus will inspire and empower us to be patient.

KEY PASSAGE:

Romans 5:6-8

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (NIV)

RESOURCES:

Download the 21-DAY FRESH FAITH EXPERIENCE at www.retreatingwithgod.org.

Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.

Connect with Jon at jon@freshfaith247.com

What’s more important? The task or the person? When someone’s incompetence rears its head, think twice how you respond.

Jesus shows us how to do patience over and over again in the gospels. People were more important to him than tasks and rituals. That’s why he healed on the Sabbath.

If Jesus scorned us every time we demonstrated incompetence, we’d be a sorry soul. But Jesus does just the opposite. He’s patient. He loves us when we succeed and when we fail. He’s faithful to stick with us. Speed isn’t a big deal to him. He waits.

Let's talk about it in today's audio devotional.

KEY PASSAGE:

2 Pet 5:8-9 (NIV)

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

RESOURCES:

Download the 21-DAY FRESH FAITH EXPERIENCE at www.retreatingwithgod.org.

Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.

Connect with Jon at jon@freshfaith247.com

When you have a choice between panic and patience, it's hard to choose patience. But remember that God is bigger than your crisis. He wants to use you and your situation to glorify himself, as well as build the golden habit of patience in you. It's a tough lesson, so let me lighten it up with my real-life, comical story.

It all started when a strange number popped up on my phone on an early Sunday morning. For some reason, I answered it. Maybe I really wanted that free 5-night all-expenses-paid vacation in Las Vegas.

“Jon, I think I left my phone in the Uber car on my way to the airport,” my wife said on a borrowed phone. And so began our Sabbath Day lesson in patience.

Listen in for "the rest of the story."

KEY PASSAGE:

Gal 5:22-23 (ESV)

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

RESOURCES:

Download the 21-DAY FRESH FAITH EXPERIENCE at www.retreatingwithgod.org.

Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.

Connect with Jon at jon@freshfaith247.com