As the saying goes—where there are people, there are problems! So how can we handle the people who cause us pain so we can have harmony? How can we continue to walk by the Spirit and not succumb to the flesh when we are assaulted or annoyed by people? Thank God He gives us the fruit of patience for managing the strain of personal relationships.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;
against such things there is no law.
(Galatians 5:22)
It’s good to realize that as Christians, you and every believer are called by God to be patient. We are to adorn ourselves with patience. Just as we dress our body every day by putting on clothes, we are to dress our spirit each morning with the godly quality of patience.
In describing the Christian life, Paul writes that we can enhance our relationships with other believers. We can also promote harmony in the church. How? By conducting our lives with patience. In other words, when we see faults in other people or are annoyed by them in any way, when we want to be irritated or be critical and lash out at them, we are to be patient instead.
Patience is definitely a key to harmony in relationships. So don’t forget when you are dressing for the day to “put on a heart of patience.” Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another (Colossians 3:12-13).
Experiencing God’s Peace studies the book of Philippians and helps you understand how to sense God’s perfect peace in every circumstance in your life. Elizabeth George’s teaching will help you discover how to:
- Respond to the needs of others
- Mature in Christ
- Overcome anxiety.
Read Looking for the Key to Harmony? on Elizabeth & Jim George.