Be Careful What You Ask For

Have you ever asked for patience only to have all your patience tested? It seems the more we ask, the more reasons we find to need it.

Romans 5 talks about patience. Verse one tells us we have peace with God when we are justified by our faith in Jesus. Verse two tells us we have access to His grace. We can rejoice in the hope of His glory. Verse three says we should glory in tribulations because they give us patience. So that's why God gives us trials when we ask for patience. WOW!! We ask for peace, we get trials.

Like the infomercials on TV says, "But wait, there's more." Verse four tells us patience brings experience, and experience brings hope. We go through trials, pitfalls, and valleys in our lives, God is molding us, teaching us. Our experiences become part of us, part of our testimony. When we get to the other side, we can look back and marvel at His workmanship. The next time we come to a trial, we can have hope, because we know who holds the future.

And verse five tells us this hope will make us unashamed because God loves us and has given us the Holy Ghost to dwell within us. He is protecting us as we go through all the trials we face.

Next time you think about asking for patience, remember you already have love. And with Christ I Corinthians 13:7 tells us, 'Love bears all, believes all things, hopes all thing, and endures all things." You have everything you need.