We hope that this reading plan will inspire you to go on a journey in cultivating the fruit of patience in your life. In the past few years we have found that even though circumstances are not always pleasant, God will use them to mold our character. What He desires is for us to approach these trials with a Godly sense of patience.
iDisciple
Day 1
Scriptures: James 1:4, Isaiah 40:31
Perseverance and Patience
To biblically persevere in a trial means that you will have to fight for your faith over a period of time. These difficult seasons produce stronger character if we are prepared to be patient. Not patient in a passive sense, but patient in knowing the battle might take a while. It is only human to want a test to be over and done with, but God uses them to shape our lives. I find hope when reading Isaiah 40:31, God renews our strength as we hope and wait on Him. This is an amazing promise, when we wait on God we actually get stronger.
It has been an exciting journey developing and dreaming about The Kristen Collection. Our first book in the collection teaches patience to young girls. It took us five years before we held the first copy in our hands. We are grateful that God has empowered us to patiently persevere, and we trust many families would be blessed through the collection.
In South Africa, we are blessed with wonderful weather, and we spend a lot of our time outside. Recently we witnessed one of God’s beautiful gifts in nature–an eagle. It is such a majestic bird. And every time we see it we are reminded of the eagle God refers to as a symbol of strength in His word.
Let’s wait patiently on the Lord and experience and see how he truly renews our strength as we wait on Him.
Application
Do you give up easily?
What is causing your biggest frustration at the moment?
Prayer
Dear God, fill me with hope and courage as I persevere in my difficult seasons of life. Thank you for making my path straight. Empower me to never give up. Amen
Day 2
Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 12:9, Psalms 27:13-14
Pain and Patience
The Lord is intimately involved in our pain and struggles. His grace is sufficient for us as He strengthens us in our difficult times. Whether it is a business failure, family calamity, relational breakdown, or crisis of faith, these mountains can make us feel faint. Don’t despair! The grace of God is sufficient to carry us through these times. When David wrote Psalm 27 he was clearly in a desperate situation. Yet he knew that God is his strength and he patiently waited for God.
I am a very relational person. If you are anything like me then accusation or relational conflict is very difficult to bear. In facing relational breakdown I have learned to patiently wait on God. If I have done all I can to restore a relationship then all I can do is wait on God to bring reconciliation. It isn’t always easy to face difficulties when you can’t do anything to change the situation. But these seasons help our patience to grow.
Application
Are you facing crises or enduring a painful situation?
How can you practically access God’s grace to empower you to be patient during this time?
Prayer
Dear God, thank you for your amazing grace that empowers me to wait patiently. Thank you for your comfort and love during my difficult times, amen.
Day 3
Scriptures: 2 Peter 1:5-7, Hebrews 11:1
Faith and Patience
For our faith to mature we need patience. The apostle Peter exhorts us to not grow complacent but to make every effort to respond to God’s promises by supplementing or adding to our faith. Building our faith isn’t a one-off experience. Seeing our faith grow takes time and patience. Faith is like a muscle that needs to exercise over a period of time to grow. Our faith walk is a daily patient journey. In a culture of instant gratification, we seldom take the time to patiently and actively add to our faith.
We face different seasons in our life. Similar to the seasons in nature: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. The seasons of life teach us patience and very few environments teach us about the seasons of life like a farm. As I was growing up on a farm, I realized from a young age that farmers plant their crops and then they wait patiently for the harvest to come. It is a beautiful process. The potential for a plant is locked up inside the seed, in the right environment a great harvest will come forth. We have great potential locked up inside of us, wait patiently for God.
I love springtime, it is a season filled with the reward of patience. Before springtime it is winter, and I don’t know about you but it is definitely not my favorite season because all the trees are barren with no fruit, but soon they will be lush, green, filled with pink blossoms everywhere. In winter, the seeds sown lay dormant and there are no signs of life. But then Spring arrives! Hebrews 11:1 reminds us that God’s promises lay dormant in our lives. Just like the seasons change. We can wait patiently and have faith that His promises will come to pass!
Application
How can you practically supplement your faith today?
Ask a believing friend to pray with you in regards to growing your faith.
Prayer
Dear God, help my patience to mature and help me daily to build my faith through your word. Amen
Day 4
Scripture: 1 Peter 2:9-10
Parenting and Patience
We are God’s very own possession, we are His chosen people. Our reading today reminds us that before coming to know Christ we had a warped sense of identity. Our patience matures as we grow in our understanding of our new identity in Christ. We get to know who we are, who’s we are, and also who our heavenly Father is. When we fully know that we are loved and accepted by God, we can patiently wait or endure difficult circumstances.
Parenting can certainly test our patience, particularly when we have to discipline our children. When my children feel the affirmation of my love they grow in their trust in me as their guardian. My youngest daughter loves sweets, but I can’t allow her to have sweets for dinner. But as her trust in my leadership grows she finds it easier to respond positively to the word “No” and to wait patiently for the dessert. God loves us and we can patiently wait for His promises to be fulfilled in our lives because we trust in Him and we know we are His children.
Application
Do you believe that you are accepted and loved by God?
Do you trust that God has your best interest at heart?
How does this revelation challenge you in the area of patience?
Prayer
Dear God, help me to believe and know that I am special to you. Thank you that I am your child and that You have given me a new identity. Help me to trust You in every situation. Amen
Day 5
Scriptures: 1 Peter 5:6, 1 Peter 4:10
Serving others and patience
Whenever something takes time it requires patience. In 1 Peter 5:6, we are encouraged to humble ourselves before God and if we are patient we will be exalted in due time. One of the best ways to humble ourselves is to serve others with the gifts God has given us. Our reading today reminds us that we have all been given spiritual gifts. In serving others we practice patience by using our gifts to further the kingdom of God and not our own agenda. Whether we receive recognition or not isn’t the focus of serving. It is about honoring God and serving people.
I was taught that when you serve others, your focus is shifted and you receive a new perspective on your situation. I encourage you to patiently listen to the needs of others and to serve them with the gifts God has given you.
Application
Make a list of your talents and gifts
How can you serve others with your gifts and talents?
Prayer
Dear God, thank you for the talents and gifts you have given me. Holy Spirit, help me to use these gifts to patiently serve others. Amen
Day 6
Scriptures: Romans 8:25, Psalms 27:13, Psalms 46:10
Perfect Trust in Patience
We can learn so much from the remarkable women in the Bible and their stories. We at The Kristen Collection have based our stories and collection on the women of the Bible. Sarah and Abraham were some of the great heroes of our faith. It was Sarah’s heart’s desire to have a baby. She had to TRUST God and patiently wait on Him to provide.
Even when we face pain, there is always hope for the future with God. He promises in His word that everything works together for those who love Him and are called to his name. And He promises a good future for us. “Surely I would have despaired had I not been convinced that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.”(Psalm 27:13)
While we wait for something that we really want, we learn to surrender to God. We also acknowledge that He is Sovereign and His timing is always perfect. In Genesis 21 we can take encouragement that God kept his promises to Sarah.
“The Lord came back to visit Sarah as he said he would, and he kept his promises to her. At exactly the time God said it would happen. Sarah became pregnant and gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age.” (Genesis 21:1-2)
As you go about your day today: “Be still and know that He is God!” (Psalm 46:10)
Application
Write down the things you are waiting for.
Write out God’s promises found in the Bible.
Choose to be still and know that He is in control.
Prayer
Dear God, thank you that I can be still and know that you are in control. I will wait on you Lord, fill my heart with Your strength and courage, Amen.