Is it Wrong to Pray for Patience?

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Q: Is it wrong to pray for patience?

A: Of course not. Many people avoid praying for patience because they fear that it might bring more of the trials that the Bible says leads to patience. Look at what Paul said, "And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience" (Romans 5:3).

If the tribulations that bring patience are to be gloried in because of the fruit they bring in our lives (see Romans 5:4-5), then we should not fear asking God for this quality we are supposed to have. He could answer the prayer by bringing more troubles, but He might also make the troubles we already face more profitable in our lives. If someone wants to pray for patience, it is probably because they are already facing troubles they do not know how to handle. Praying for patience simply means you are asking God to make His lessons more effective.

Also, we should never fear God's watchcare over us. Yes, we should fear rebelling against Him. But, when we truly want Him to help us, He will not be cruel. In Luke 11:11, God uses the father/son relationship to explain our relationship to our heavenly Father. The verse states, "If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?" The conclusion is, that if an earthly father will not answer his son cruelly when he asks for food, why should we expect our Father to be cruel when we honestly ask for help in some area? He will not upbraid of scold us when we ask for wisdom (James 1:5). I am confident that He will not treat us meanly if we ask for patience. May the Lord bless you as you seek His strength.

Till He comes,

Pastor David Reagan