Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
— Romans 12:12
In the 1960s, an experiment was conducted where researchers gave this choice to a 4-year-old: “I am leaving for a few minutes to run an errand and you can have a marshmallow while I am gone. But if you don’t eat it, you can have two marshmallows when I return.”
A dozen years later, these researchers from Stanford University restudied the same children and found that those who had eaten the single marshmallow tended to be more troubled as adolescents. Astonishingly, the one-marshmallow kids also scored an average of 210 fewer points on their SAT tests.
It’s been said that “patience is a virtue.” Well, it’s apparently more than that. The ability to show patience could even determine the level of success one will have. Perhaps that’s why patience is a fruit of the Spirit—it gives us the ability to delay gratification now and thus be more content with our current situation in life.
Patience isn’t just a lesson children should learn. It’s never too late to develop more patience in your own life. But the key as Christians is to give control to the Spirit, who will show patience through you. Then, you’ll experience God’s very best joy, contentment, and happiness!
Prayer Challenge
Ask God to help you be patient in all circumstances… knowing His best blessings are yet to come!
Questions for Thought
Do you think it’s harder today to be patient than it was 100 years ago? Why or why not?
What’s one area in your life you can submit to God to help you become more patient?