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May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Romans 15:5 NLT

“Mom, I don’t want to wear this today!” “Mom, I’m hungry.” “Mom, I need my pillow back.” (The one that is propping up the ipad I’m writing on!)

Yes, I need a good dose of patience today.

The last few days I have noticed my patience wearing thin with my husband and my children. I find myself being short, irritated and demanding…..the exact opposite of what I was hoping for this Christmas season. However, it is not surprising that I am feeling this way. The last few days have been so busy, with Christmas parties, family in town, plays, etc… I have been spending obligation time with God and not quality time with Him.

 I have been connecting with God, family and friends because I “have” to, not because I “get” to.

Maybe you’re feeling the same way?

You sense the Martha rising up, demanding that you “hurry up and get things done”.  As women we have a lot of added responsibilities during the holidays, but the wisdom, energy and patience we need to get those things done comes from quality time spent with our Maker, our spouse and our family.

That leaves us with a choice to make.

 

[clickToTweet tweet=”Patience doesn’t just happen. It has to be walked out on purpose.” quote=”Patience doesn’t just happen. It has to be walked out on purpose.”]

What I’m determined to do is to create space in my daily routine dedicated to my God, my spouse and my family. Quality time spent in these relationships helps me to be more gracious in all of my responsibilities. Think about time spent away from obligation…. a date with your spouse, an outing with your child, a rich time with God.

These are the times that fill us up.

They give us the margin we need to have more patience in the things that we “have” to do.

Encouragement:

As you read the tips below, I would encourage you to not just scan through them, but place them on your calendar. It will not only enhance your relationships during this Christmas season, but can help you to live life more patient and gracious.

Practical Tips for Learning Patience:

Spend time with God

Patience is a fruit of the Spirit. As we spend time with the Giver of the fruit, we begin to possess the fruit. If you get “sidetracked” during your time with God here’s a tip: A good friend of mine told me to keep a piece of paper next to me when I’m reading the Bible. Each time I think of something that needs to be done I can write it down, so I won’t forget later. It helps me to stay focused on my time with God and not on my to do list.

Spend time with your spouse

My husband and I recently began making a lunch date every week to cover “household business”. Before we started doing this we found that every time we had date night we were talking about bills or the children and other things instead of enjoying each others company. Making this small change in our schedule has allowed us to have a more fun and relaxed date night.

Spend time with your family

Because we have a lot of kids, we have decided to schedule a date night once a week with each one of our children alone. Each week is a different child. This one on one time makes them feel special and it gives us a chance to connect with them.

Prayer

Lord, we pray that you would help us to be more patient with those we come in contact with. Help us to not get bogged down with all the things we have to do, but to enjoy the people around us. We pray you help us to stay peaceful and patient this holiday season. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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