Let me start by giving you the definition of ‘patience’ from the dictionary: Patience is a person’s ability to wait from something out or endure something tedious, without getting riled up. Having patience means you can remain calm, even when you’ve been waiting forever or dealing with something painstakingly slow, or trying to teach someone how to do something and they just do not get it.

The biblical definition of patience is this: The quality or virtue of patience is presented as either forbearance or endurance. In the former sense it is a quality of self-restraint or of not giving way to anger even in the face of provocation; it is attributed to both God and man. It is closely related to mercy and compassion.

Scripture verse: Ephesians 4:2
“Be completely humble and gentle, be patient, bearing with one another in love.”

I received a phone call from my niece that my brother was taken to the hospital and so was his wife. My sister in law was admitted to the hospital and my brother was in the ER for the day. I immediately wanted to do whatever I could to help. I got upset and the I cried and got angry, because of the situation with the pandemic. Both my brother and sister in law have Covid, and live in Texas.

Not long after the first call, I got another call from my niece in upstate New York. My sister, who is in the nursing home, was not doing well at all. She has congestive heart failure, infection, and is lethargic. She was taken to the hospital and admitted. They found no Covid, but that she has pneumonia.

I have not seen my family ever since the pandemic started. It is just heartbreaking to not be with the folks you love. My heart ached for all of them, and I don’t want to be without my family. I cryed and called out to God, and read scripture. I realized the best thing I could do for everyone was to be ‘patient’ and pray… to trust God!

We as individuals have no control over anything that happens. If we are truly following after Gods example we need to give everything up to Him in prayer and be ‘patient’ and wait. I did not have patience in the beginning, but with praying and asking others to pray, God is there with all of us. I know that!

It is so important to be ‘patient’ and to pray and share that love with everyone. Even if things have not always been perfect; God has a plan in everything. That is why God is teaching me all the time to be ‘patient’, and to come to Him in prayer. How appropriate for me to share this devotional!

Prayer: Dear Lord, give us patience to overcome whatever trials we face. Let us be patient in all things, Lord. We place our lives always in your hands. Amen.

Linda Orth