My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience -James 1:2.

Patience is something we all can use. With everything happening in the worldwide, people are worried, afraid, and angry. But this shouldn’t stop us from having patience with one another.

In this life, we will have trials, difficulties, and disappointments, whether we’re a believer or nonbeliever, this is a part of life. Trials are of outward circumstances, conflicts, sufferings, and troubles encountered by all believers. Trials are unpleasant and may be extremely grievous, but believers are to consider them opportunities for rejoicing.

Troubles and difficulties are a tool that refines and purifies our faith, producing patience and endurance. Patience is not only working on behalf of the believer but the nonbeliever as well. Nonbelievers will work on whatever they desire until they see the manifestation; this is called patience. As believers, we should have just as much patience or more willingness to go through whatever is needed to receive what we desire to accomplish in this world as well as the life hereafter.

In the New Testament, the word patience is used thirty-four times with three different meanings. (1) Longsuffering, meaning exercising understanding and patience toward people. (2) Self-Restraint, Rather than proceeding to action, the person refrains from doing so. (3) Perseverance is mentioned twenty-nine times in the New Testament. Perseverance is endurance, to persevere, endurance in long-suffering. The person’s quality of character does not allow them to surrender to circumstances.

There is so much hurt, and disappointment in the lives of people, and just showing kindness and patience would help them during their difficulties. Just a smile, could save someone’s life, hello could brighten someone’s day. Having a listening ear without trying to correct or justify them, will let someone know you care.

As Christians, God will work patience in us to show forth His glory in us. If we submit to the process, it will not be a long process. Before actions or words, if we thought about how we would want to be treated or spoken to would assist us in being patience with others.

We need to be patience when waiting for a prayer to be answered without murmuring or complaining. Sometimes prayers are answered instantly and there are times we may have to wait days, weeks, months ands sometimes years before we receive an answer to our prayers. Because the prayer hasn’t been answered does not mean for us to stop asking.

Patience is one of the fruit of the Spirit, and God wants to see it in our daily lives.