Beth Moore Study: Living Beyond Yourself--PATIENCE

It's been a while since I posted about the Bible study I'm going through. I had taken a break from the book as we were getting ready for our trip and VBS. I just finished the lessons on patience. I felt I learned a lot from this series of lessons. I'm not sure I can put all I learned into words, but I will share some of my thoughts.

Patience is something we all desire I think. I've heard before to watch out if you pray for patience because you'll have to go through some patience-testing situations.

One of the day's lessons was called "Lest you be judged." If we have the Holy Spirit's patience, we will not be judging others. This really touched my heart because I have a tendency to be judgemental, I know I am both of people and situations. Romans 14:13 says, "Let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way." A quote I really liked here says, "We cannot both judge others and be patient toward them. One cancels out the other."

Another day's lesson was called "Have Mercy." Here is another quality I need to work on in my own life. The story for this day was found in Matthew 18:15-35. This story makes me think every time I read it. How could the first servant be so ridiculous about his servant's debt after all he'd been forgiven? Then I ask myself, Am I the same way? Look how much I've been forgiven by my Heavenly Father. Do I show mercy to others?

This lesson showed me patience is really a fruit I need to grow in my life.
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"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us..." Hebrews 12:1