Growing in Patience

Sunday Aug. 19, 2007



1 Corinthians 13:5 (NIV) 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.



James 1:19 (NIV) 19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.



The word does not tell us to NOT get angry, it tells us to be slow to become angry.... even Jesus got angry!



Mark 10:14 (NIV) 14When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hender them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.



Sometimes anger is good/healthy and productive.... depending on how we use it.



The top 5 things you can do to not be easily angered:



#5 BREAK THE PATTERN OF ANGER

Proverbs 29:11 11A fool gives vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.



Proverbs 25:28 (HCSB)
28 A man who does not control his temper

is like a city whose wall is broken down.



Ephesians 4:26-27 (HCSB) 26 Be angry and do not sin. Don't let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and don't give the Devil an oppertunity.



#4 GUARD YOUR RELATIONSHIPS

Proverbs 22:24-25 (HCSB) 24 Don't make friends with an angry man, and don't be a companion of a hot-tempered man, 25 or you will learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.



Proverbs 11:23 (NIV) 23 The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.



Proverbs 15:1 (NIV) 1 A *gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.



*gentle does not mean quiet!



#3 RELEASE YOUR WORRIES TO GOD



Palms 38:8-9 (HCSB) 8 I am faint and severely crushed; I groan because of the anguish of my heart. 9 Lord, my every desire is known to You; my sighing is not hidden from You.



Phillippians 4:6-7 (HCSB) 6 Don't worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.



#2 GET SOME REST



Elijah in 1 Kings 19



1 Kings 19:5 (NIV) 5 Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat."



* we can not think clearly nor hear God clearly if we do not have plenty of rest. This will lead to short tempers.



#1 CHANGE YOUR EXPECTATIONS



*Change your expectations of people, not of God. (unless of course you expect your agenda to be God's agenda)



Proverbs 4:23 (NIV) 23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.



Phillippeans 4:8 (NIV) 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is nobel, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.



Exodus 34:6 (NIV) 6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The Lord, The Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.



We are made in Christ image and in His image we must learn to be slow to anger, forgive when someone has wronged us and then FORGET!

Life for me as an Army wife is full of challenges, challenges that those who don't live this lifestyle don't face.... however they have their own set of challenges. All of us have challenges in life. It is important for us to always remember to go to our Lord in prayer, trust that He will guide us. And then wait for his guidance..... and know that our answer will likely not be IMMEDIATE.

Raising children as both Mommy & Daddy when otherwise I would not be is deffinitely a challenge, not only for myself but for my children and my husband. Back to back deployments when our family has had little to no family time to adjust and reaquant ourselves poses even more challenges. In the 6ths months DH was home between deployments we were going through all the red tape of preparing for our relocation to our new duty station in Hawaii, taking 30 days of leave to visit family and friends we hadn't seen (some for years) knowing that it very well may be at least 3 years before we are able to visit some of them again. Arriving at a new duty station, living in a hotel, moving into a house, and TRYING to get "organized" and thrown into the preperations for yet another deployment. Our children (11 1/2 & 4 1/2 at time of deployment) love and miss their Daddy and struggle trying to understand the emotions they without a doubt must be feeling.....
Why does Daddy keep leaving? What did I do? Will he come home?
They don't really know where to go with these feelings, and that's perfectly understandable cause even at my age a lot of times I don't know where to go/what to do with the feelings I have. Needless to say, all 3 of us struggle each day with Patience & feelings of anger.....
God really did know where I needed to be on Sunday, I have read those verses numerous times, I have read the notes I made during the message at Sunday's service. Now I pray..... and COUNT TO 100 if need be! But, I've also realized my children are taking out their anger on me because I'm "safe". And, them taking it out on me is perfectly OKAY as long as they do it in a productive manor, so SOMETIMES I'm going to be angry too, and I am going to have to release my anger, disapproval or dissatisfaction in a productive manor also.

May today you know comfort in your heart just in knowing God is there and knows your needs and that he understands that we are ALWAYS GROWING in Him. May your patience tomorrow be more than it was today. God bless.