Wisdom Gives Patience

 A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense. Proverbs 19: 11

Patience with others! Don’t we all need more of it!

So much is going on in our lives, there is so much stress, and uncertainty, and we often tend to overreact when we are provoked or irritated. It is so easy to snap back, to say something in return without thinking, and to regret it after doing so. And then we often have a tendency to hold on to those words that were spoken to us, hold a grudge, and keep the hurt feelings.

It is good to look at Scripture and be reminded that God wants and commands us to love others, and as so eloquently stated in 1 Corinthians 13: 4 – 7, “Love can overlook any fault”.

We just have to realize that there are many things that we are better off just letting go and giving them to God to deal with, whether it is with the problem or the person. He will deal justly with those who offend or hurt us and we need to place our anger, frustration, and pain with Him.

Another wise proverb  – “the wisdom of God gives us patience, and it is to his glory to overlook offenses.” Easier said than done, isn’t it?

In our fast paced world, sometimes it is tempting to respond quickly and harshly without weighing our words. But we all know from experience that it is better to choose our speech very carefully in certain conversations. We may even need to learn to discipline ourselves to use restraint. We need to think about our attitudes toward others and especially keep from over reacting in some situations. And sometimes we just need to choose which battles are worth fighting and ask God for a greater ability to look beyond those who choose words to harm us.

Something good can even come out of these situations as we realize God may have a lesson to teach us through these criticisms or offenses to help smooth and shape us into the individuals He desires us to be. His spirit within us is ready, willing, and able to give us understanding and wisdom in every situation if we will only ask Him to do so.

We also need to think about our own words and the implications they might have on others. Do we ourselves remember to always speak with kindness, even when we are the ones who are tired or stressed?

I once read that God places certain people in our lives to bring out the best in us. Ever thought about that? Makes you wonder, “Am I one of those who needs someone to make me better, or am I one of those who can bring out the best in someone else?” Definitely something to think about!

Prayer

Our most gracious and loving God, give us the wisdom to have patience with others and the ability to overlook offenses. Help us to be kind in our responses and to weigh our own words carefully as we speak to those around us. Help us to be the loving individuals you would have us be and to share your love and grace with others. Amen