Verses:
Ephesians 4:2 says “Be always humble, gentle, and patient. Show your love by being tolerant with one another.“
Proverbs 15:18 says “Hot tempers cause arguments, but patience brings peace.“
1 Corinthians 13:4 says “Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud.”
Devo:
Are you following along with Wives on Duty Ministries for the Love Dare Challenge? Allison started yesterday, and the “challenge” of the day was allllllll about patience.
For some of us, that word is needed more with our kids. Maybe it’s with our officer. Maybe it’s with our coworkers, or the people we serve at work. I feel confident saying that most of us could all use a little reminder to have a little more patience in some part of our lives.
For me, the area that needs the most patience is with my officer’s job. I find myself rolling my eyes when he’s called in early (again), or disappointed when he’s holding over late (again). Sometimes I find myself sighing with annoyance when I have to repeat myself for the third time when we’re talking on the phone because his radio is going off in the background. Sometimes, it just means trying extra hard to be patient while he’s hurrying to finish reports in the driveway and I’m sitting at our kitchen island, waiting to serve up dinner. And often, it’s simply giving him an extra few moments to unwind after a shift.
I know you LEOWs can relate. This job is not an easy one to live with. But the thing is-I need him to treat me with patience, too. I fall short. I work late. I come home grumpy. I get discouraged. The amazing thing about marriage is two people not giving up on each other-flaws and shortcomings and all. And when we show each other a little bit more patience, it positively impacts all other areas of our life and our marriage. We’re gentler with one another. We show each other more love. We spend more quality time together. With patience, our marriage is closer to how God created it to be.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for creating us with the ability to be patient. Although I often fall short of the wife You’ve created me to be, I praise You for my marriage and my officer and the love that is between us. Help me to be more patient this week. Remind me to speak with gentle words, and to hold my tongue in times of unkind words or frustration. Remind me of the joys my officer and I reap when we’re more patient with one another.
❤️🙏🏼