Powerful Prayer Tip – Don’t Pray for Patience

 

How often have you heard someone say, “Don’t pray for patience” in response to someone who says they need patience?  Too often in my book.

Here’s why I’m not a fan—you don’t need to pray for patience because you already HAVE patience!!!  If you are a child of God, then you are filled with the Holy Spirit.  If you are filled with the Holy Spirit, then you have been given the Fruit of the Spirit.  If you have been given the Fruit of the Spirit, then you have love, joy, peace, PATIENCE, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control.  There.  You have it.  See!

Now that we know that we have patience, what we must do is employ it.  Utilize it whenever we are presented with a challenging opportunity.  And, by the way, God did not grace us with patience to use in non-people-related circumstances.  Think about it.  He does not care if we are impatient at a stop light.  He does not care if we are impatient for the phone to ring, a movie to come out, and the like.  God only cares how we interact with others, and He prefers us to be patient with them.

So, the next time you are feeling impatient with others, pray for wisdom to deal with your agitator.  Pray that you will use the right words.  Pray that you will better understand where she is coming from.  Pray for her in that difficult situation.  Praying specifically for the things that matures patience is much more beneficial than praying for patience in general.

In time, you will find this approach will greatly mature your Fruit of the Spirit, and you.  Not only will you be more spiritually mature you, but you will also find that demonstrating a patient attitude now comes much more naturally than before.

You can use a similar approach if you find it difficult to love others, be joyful, or feel at peace, etc. when it comes to the Fruit of the Spirit.

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Philippians 2:13

What specific prayers might you pray to mature your Fruit of the Spirit?

Before you go, please check out my set up for this week’s prayer closet…

Pray on!

~gina

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Award-winning author Gina Duke is a wife, mom and the Director of Women’s Ministry at her local church. With a B.S. in Organizational Leadership, she is able to bring a clear word for authentic Christian living. Through her book, “Organizing Your Prayer Closet: A New and Life-Changing Way to Pray” (Abingdon Press), she imparts 1 Peter 4:7 with the gift of structured prayer journaling. If you would like to schedule Gina to speak on prayer or host a prayer journaling workshop, click here for more information. You may also follow her on Twitter and Instagram @TheGinaDuke.

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