When I was little, I remember thinking why do I have to wait? Why can’t I have this now? Why can’t we go now? I also remember my mother telling me (quite often) to hold your horses, Kelly.

After I got married, the task of reminding me to keep my horses at bay fell to my husband—who happens to be one of the most patient people I’ve ever met.

My husband’s ability to hurry up and wait used to frustrate me. I didn’t understand how he could be so calm about everything when I was always freaking out. I used to wonder why God would pair two people together whose level of patience was on such opposite sides of the scale.

But God had a plan. Over the years I have watched that plan unfold as He has used my husbands’ personality to gently mold and shape me.

We will celebrate our 21st wedding anniversary in July and God isn’t done, He’s still working on me. It hasn’t been easy, but I’m thankful for the way God has used my husband’s patient nature to encourage me to grow. I may never master the art of putting patience into practice, but with God’s help I can persevere and learn to be better at it.

Proverbs 27:17 reminds us that the people around us help us to grow. God will use those around us to build our character, strengthen our faith, and mature us as Christians.

Has God placed someone in your life to help mold and shape you? Maybe it’s an impatient friend or family member? A bossy co-worker? It could even be the cranky cashier at a store you frequently visit. It’s never easy when God uses the people in our lives to help train and sharpen us, but we can trust it’s always for our good.  The next time we’re tempted to get frustrated with them, let’s offer up a prayer of thanks to God for the ones He has put in our lives to help us become mature and complete.

Prayer:

Lord, I praise you for your wisdom. I may not understand the ways you choose to mold and shape me, but I trust that your ways are good. Please forgive me when I lose my patience with the people around me. Help me to remember that you have placed them in my life for a greater purpose. Thank you for the people you have placed in my life to sharpen and train me. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen!

Thank you for joining us! This devotion is a part of our current series: Sweet Smelling Fruit—Cultivating a Heart that Lives by the Spirit. Right now we are taking a closer look at #Patience.

Is this your first time here? I invite you to join us as we dig in to learn more about the Fruits of the Spirit!  Subscribe to my weekly newsletter to receive updates on future posts.

~Kelly

Save