What Does Patience in the Bible Mean?

The Bible tells us that patience is a virtue, it’s a fruit of the spirit. This means as believers, we should be working to be patient in all areas of our lives.

This is much easier said than done. According to Dictionary.com, patience means:

The ability to wait, or to continue doing something despite difficulties, or to suffer without complaining or becoming annoyed.

This definition shows us that patience is a virtue especially if we are called to love one another. As Christians, how can we tolerate and love others if we aren’t patient?

Thankfully we can stand on God’s Truth to help us be patient.

What is Patience in the Bible?

In the Bible, Ecclesiastes says being patient in the spirit is better than being proud. There’s no question, that we need the Holy Spirit to help us be patient.

As I mentioned above, patience is a fruit of the spirit and is essential to pleasing the Lord.

“Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” Ecclesiastes 7:8

How Can I Be Patient?

Learning to be patient is one of life’s hardest struggles. Regardless of where you are in your Christian walk, it can be a daily struggle.

Whether you are dealing with financial issues, or health issues that are affecting yourself or your family members, being patient isn’t always an easy task.

However, as Christians, patience is a virtue so it’s something that we must develop. We must learn to be calm and reserved in the face of hardship. We have to learn to draw our strength from the Lord.

“Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

In life, there have been times I have been tested to where I didn’t have my own strength to go on. I struggled with my faith and really questioned God’s reasoning and God’s timing.

I didn’t understand why I was dealing with certain situations or why I had to go through them. In my mind, I knew I was doing my best to live according to God’s teachings.

I had to learn to let go and give it to God because He has a plan. Instead of losing patience, we need to surrender our situations to God.

Being Patient

What I didn’t realize was that God was preparing me for a journey where I needed a lot of patience and I needed to lean on him to get me through it.

What he was teaching me during a pretty dark time was that he was with me. He never left me. He wanted me to understand that all things happen in his time and not mine. And that the reward will be so worth the wait and the pain.

“The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.” Lamentations 3:25.

Think about how long our Father waited for us to take the step to become a Christian. He patiently waits for us to receive salvation. He doesn’t send us signs.

I mean, can you imagine if he did? “Hello? Can you hurry up please and accept eternal life”?

Throughout the Bible, he has shown us different stories of those who struggled with patience. I’m often reminded of Sarah and her faithfulness.

Abraham was supposed to be the Father of all generations and unfortunately, Sarah couldn’t conceive. She couldn’t understand why Abraham was chosen to be such a person when she couldn’t have a baby.

She even laughed at God when he told Abraham he would have a son. Then, it happened. Sarah became pregnant when she was already way past the age of childbearing.

God heard her prayers and knew the journey he had planned out for them, however, as with all things, God had his own time as to when they would conceive. As a matter of fact, it’s believed she was 90 years old when she did. It was in no one’s time but his own.

As Christians, we need to practice being patient daily. It’s not always easy but with God’s Word, we can learn how to be patient.

Bible Verses About Patience

Here are some of my favorite Bible verses about patience. If patience is a struggle, you should consider memorizing these scriptures to keep them close. The Bible verses below are from ESV.

“Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!” Psalm 37:7

“Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” Ecclesiastes 7:8

“But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

“For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” Romans 8:24-25

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” Romans 12:12

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant.” 1 Corinthians 13:4

“The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works.” 2 Corinthians 12:12

Patience Bible Verses

“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 5:22-23

“Therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:1-3

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” Colossians 3:12-13

“And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.” 1 Thessalonians 5:14

“But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.” 1 Timothy 1:16

“And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil,” 2 Timothy 2:24

“Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” 2 Timothy 4:2

“So that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” Hebrews 6:12

“And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise.” Hebrews 6:15

“Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.” James 5:7

“As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.” James 5:10

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

“And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him,” 2 Peter 3:15

“Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.” Revelation 3:10

Remind Others to Be Patient

Let others know we need to be patient with our Be Patient Christian clothing collection. Our Be Patient Christian clothing collection is inspired by James 1:3 NKJV:

“Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience”.

Examples of our Be Patient Christian apparel are below.  This design comes in multiple colors and sizes.

Here are pictures of my daughter, my mom, and I wearing our Be Patient Christian Apparel. All of the items we sell are made of great quality and are comfortable.

Click on the Image Below to View My Full Shop