As survivors, we have to be careful about being patient with others; we need to earnestly ask God for wisdom. We often have trouble establishing and maintaining boundaries. We might think we’re practicing patience when really we are stifling our feelings, tolerating bad behavior, maybe even submitting to abuse…all in the name of patience.

Patience with other adults has to be based in wisdom and in a desire to live the way that Jesus lived. If you read the New Testament carefully, you will see that he sometimes sounded irritated with his disciples, and on at least one occasion showed anger. [I would not say he “lost his temper” because that implies an inability to control; I think the anger was deliberate and appropriate.]

Anyway, let’s base our patience in a growing awareness of the Lord and who we are in God. Let’s be honest about necessary boundaries, knowing why we need them and being assured that we deserve them. And let’s be careful, asking God to help us walk in truth and love. It’s a process so we work on developing patience, true love, and wisdom. Our ever-loving Creator is happy to help us with that.