I wonder what it is about 'patience', 'kindness' and 'gentleness' that a lot of people shy away from? If you're what is described as a 'macho man', full of beef and brawn, bulging muscles and a big ego, then those 3 words would certainly not be welcome as a description of you I'm sure! None of these words could be used to describe you!
But then let's face it, they are not descciptions of quite a lot of folk, macho or not! They are not generally attributes which are inbuilt into human nature.
But they are attributes built into God's character!
Apart from patience, kindness and gentleness being part of Paul's description of one who is filled with God's Spirit, they are also described in a wee prayer poem I was reading recently by an annonimous writer:
"Make me patient, kind, and gentle, Day by day; Teach me how to live more nearly As I pray."
And as 'patience' truly only comes from God into our hearts, we can't know it truly unless we practice His presence daily.
I'm reminded of the words of Paul in Romans 15 v.5 "Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded one towards another, according to Christ Jesus" and also in James 1 v.4 "Let patience have her perfect work".
I'm sure there are times in your life, as in mine, when you are called upon to display an almost heroic degree of good temper and you feel yourself getting worked up to a degree of impatience and certainly verging on the egde of a lack of kindness or gentleness!
No-where is this more pronounced than in a family with all that is going on. And what better place to practice the presence of God and draw on His patience, gentleness and kindness when, because of family demands, and especially of children, we are thrown, sometimes suddenly and without warning, into the need to display good temper!
I need to take note of this lesson myself and pray you will too!
God bless you my friends, love Alf x
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