Have you ever felt like you had the “right” to revenge? To get even? To have your say? To confront someone? Maybe it’s with your kids, your spouse, a friend, or someone at work who frustrates you. Emotions can make it difficult to make wise decisions. When we’re consumed with what we “deserve” to do, our thoughts cloud what God’s Word says we should do.

In the Bible, we see some great men of God, like Samson and David, prove that impulsiveness is rarely the right reaction. Both men made choices in the moment out of pride and lust that snowballed into more and more sin. We find that waiting on God could have prevented a lot of pain.

Demonstrating a little patience now can save us a lot of problems later.

It’s easy to love other people when life is going our way, but what happens when the kids take too long getting ready in the morning or our boss asks us to stay late again? When someone tests our last nerve, the way to walk out patience in the moment is to:

• Remember God’s purpose
• See the situation from His perspective
• Put others first

Remember God’s Purpose

The purpose of everything is to lead us to God. Even the devil unintentionally fulfills this truth. When Satan tempts us to react in frustrating situations, God is giving us the opportunity to focus on the One who settles it all. These difficult situations offer the perfect place to turn to God for the strength to endure this circumstance and to see things as He sees them.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 NIV

God’s ways might be difficult to understand, but His character is not. Above all, He is God Almighty. He is just. And we can trust Him completely because His character never changes and His word never fails. Becoming more patient means gaining a better understanding of God’s sovereignty so that we can let go of the situation. It also means acknowledging that God loves us no matter what.

See the Situation from His Perspective

Whenever you face trials, you can remain steady in a storm and patiently endure the hardship because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. James 1:3 NIV

When someone is selfish or rude or maybe just mistaken, we can look past the pain and stand patient in our love for others because of our love for God. Adopting God’s perspective is the key to becoming more patient with people, with ourselves, and even with God Himself.

Put Others First

Once we understand God’s purpose in all things and we gain God’s perspective, the last piece to living with more patience is to put others first.

It’s easy to think if we put others first then our actions suggest they must have done something “right.”

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God … Romans 3:23 NIV

None of us deserve the radical grace God extended to us through the death of His only son, Jesus. The truth is that obeying God’s commands means you’ll live life differently, just like the life of Jesus.

Instead of reacting to humanity’s failures or out of your own struggles, what would your life look like if you submitted to God’s purpose, His perspective, and put others before yourself? There is a secret superpower in becoming more patient; you are becoming more like Christ. For His glory.