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Patience
Colossians 3:12 'Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.'
 Patience is the surrendering of control. Do you know why people worry about things? Because ever since the fall of humanity, we've been trying to win control over our own destinies. We struggle and strive to call the shots. When things happen which we didn't foresee, we complain about what a rotten world this is. It's because we feel unable to make changes in the real world that we make "pretend" ones in the unreal area of the imagination. Worry is our way of playing with all the possibilities and changing outcomes in our heads. Worry is surrogate control. It is grown-ups playing pretend. Patience involves being yielded - giving up the right to pull the strings either through physical effort or mental worry. Being patient keeps us behind God. It stops us from walking out of step with him and trying to rush ahead. It prevents us from being in the wrong place at the wrong time when God's call arrives! If you're in a hurry to change the world, count to ten and think again.
Prayer: 'Father God, please help me to remain patient, even when things seem out of my control. Help me not to worry about things, but to stay behind you, walking in faith.'
© 2003-2004 Mal Fletcher
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