Day 24 | 40-Day Lenten Fast & Devotional

Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly. A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones. - Proverbs 14:29-30

Good morning, good morning, grace and peace be unto all of you, my Father's children. It is in fact, day number 24 of our 40 day Lenten devotional. This week we've been talking about patience, which is much easier said than done. This scripture for this morning comes from the book of Proverbs. This collection of wise sayings that was attributed in good portion, that of Solomon and all of his wisdom to pass down.

It's interesting because as we look at the life and times of Solomon or any of the kings in biblical antiquity,  there had to be a level  of wisdom that was derived in leading God's people or leading people as a whole. So the scripture is Proverbs, the 14th chapter, and I just want to really look at the 29th verse, and you should find these similar words: “Whoever's patient has great understanding, but one who is quick tempered displays vows. Heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.” I love this scripture because it gives us this benchmark to talk about what it looks to act or react to situations, circumstances, as opposed to allowing an opportunity to really look at him from all different angles.

Have you ever been there before? But the rash decision of the easiest, of the quickest reaction was probably not the wisest one. You know, the one that you really didn't think of.  The one that kind of was built from a section of, they did this, so I must do that. Everything oftentimes is not cut and clear and in the heat of the moment, you might not be able to discern and or see the entire or the gravity of situations.

God calls us, and one of the virtues that we are to tap into is that of patience. It says that patience comes with great understanding.  Have you been there?  Well, after a while, you took a look at a situation and noticed that if you'd just taken some more time, you may have approached it differently. So many of the mistakes that we make come from our rash and impulsive nature.

God says, in order for you to operate from a place of wisdom, you have to take a beat.  Take a moment, pause. Imagine that just even in this few moments as we're going through this, giving ourselves the opportunity for two things. Number one, to let God use us and let God speak to us and to let a situation play all the way out. Even when we look  at the canvas of our lives today, and the areas and spaces that are within our control and those that are without our control, how we maneuver is really, really, really garnered from a place where we're using wisdom and that takes patience. It's easy to react. It's easy to come with snap decisions and snap judgments.

What's challenging  is...to give yourself an opportunity  to allow emotions to move out the way,  for allow your vision to be  unclouded, and to really take a moment in time to say,  what is it that I'm really trying to guard from this situation? Patience. But it says the opposite of it says, but one who's quick tempered displays folly. The quickest way to make a mistake, quickest way to forfeit all that's involved is to move without thinking, without having a clear and concise way  to the solution that you're looking for. So God calls us all to operate in that same level of wisdom in our day-to-day experiences, even if it be with how we deal with one another, even if it be with how we deal with the surrounding world around us, even if it be with how it is that we deal with our own emotions and processing in our own places. So on today, I want you to take it, to keep that in mind–to move with a sense of purpose, but also with a sense of patience.

God bless you. I pray that this day is a blessing. Let's have a terrific Tuesday as we get out and do what we need to, but move and operate with a level of patience. To a God who has perfect timing, we don't need a rush.ow morning for day number 24, but you be blessed on this Monday. God bless you.