Patient Parenting: Overcoming Anger in Your HomeSýnishorn

Day 5: Becoming Patient

Love is patient and kind…

So begins the famous love chapter of 1 Corinthians 13. To be a patient and kind parent is to love our children.

But what exactly does it mean to be patient?

The word translated patient literally means to put one's anger or wrath far away. Older translations of the Bible used the word long-suffering. Patience bears with a provocation and is not quick to respond.

Of course, we can see the greatest personification of patience in Jesus. When we study how he interacted with others, we see him bear with the failings of the crowds, the disciples, and even the soldiers who crucified him.

In the face of Jesus, we also see how patient God the Father is with us. As parents, we get upset when they turn around and disobey after giving so much to our children. We think, "Don't they realize how much I have done for them?" But this exact scenario plays out with our Heavenly Father and us. He provides for us and blesses us in so many undeserved ways. Then we forget to honor him, or we disobey him. But rather than reacting in anger, our Father is long-suffering with us.

God desires you to become more like him—patient and kind. But we don't develop patience with just an open Bible and coffee. The young family's chaos is precisely the environment where God molds our character. We need trials to move from impatience to patience.

How do I actively cultivate this growth in patience? Here are three simple suggestions.

1. Begin praying daily for the Spirit to give you patience. And as you ask him to give you patience, remind yourself that you will be tempted to be impatient today. At the beginning of the day, pray, "Lord, I know I will be tempted to be impatient and harsh today. Help me recognize the temptation in the moment and give me patience." Just this prayer alone can help you grow in this area.

2. Meditate long on the patience God has displayed toward you. Fill your journal with verses that remind you how the Lord is slow to anger with us. In that same search, find other verses in Proverbs that teach us about the foolishness of anger and the wisdom of self-control in this area.

3. Following the instructions in James, begin praying for wisdom as to how you should handle the situations that are provoking you. God has made you in his image, and we are to lead our family well. Sometimes, the only response may be to work on our hearts. But in other situations, the wise response may be to change something in our parenting.

The hardest but best place to live out the gospel is in your home and with your family. Becoming more patient is possible. And slowly, over time, your children will also recognize this change in you.

Prayer:

Father, thank you for your patience with me in so many areas. At times I have been foolish or disobeyed you, yet you never lashed out in anger. That is so much grace to me. Help me to grow to be like Jesus. Fill me with the supernatural patience of the Spirit. Help me diligently be aware of the temptation that will come my way and my power to overcome it. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.

This devotional is inspired by the video-driven bible study, Parenting with Patience: Overcoming Anger in Your Home. Visit ParentingwithPatienceStudy.com to get your workbook and free videos. Start becoming a more patient parent today!