By Sandra Kay Chambers @PrayWaves

Like most young children, my pre-school daughter was often impatient. Early on I found a fun way to help her work on learning patience. I’d have her sit down, fold her hands together and we’d sing this verse from one of her favorite Veggie Tale songs.

“Have patience, have patience
Don’t be in such a hurry
When you get impatient, you only start to worry
Remember, remember that God is patient, too.”

Children are not the only ones who need to develop patience. Throughout the Bible we read many examples of man’s impatience —Abraham became impatient waiting for God’s promise to bless him with a son and an inheritance as innumerable as the stars. The Israelites became impatient while wandering in the wilderness waiting to enter the Promised Land. The Jewish nation in the time of Jesus was impatient, waiting for a Savior to deliver them from Roman rule. And they all missed God’s timing and His perfect plan.

We as writers desperately need patience. We need to wait patiently on God’s timing, especially when our writing career isn’t progressing as we think it should. We need to learn patience so we won’t fall into Satan’s trap of envy, doubt, fear and complaining.

In the New Testament, patience is listed as one of the fruits of the Spirit that every Christian should exhibit as a child of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23 CEB).

Patience keeps our motives pure and builds hope and trust in God’s plan for us as writers. As we wait for His perfect timing, we need to keep moving forward, developing our skill, building platform and learning as much as we can. Our focus must be on God, doing whatever we do for Him, not for man’s approval.

Whatever you do [whatever your task may be], work from the soul [that is, put in your very best effort], as [something done] for the Lord and not for men (Col. 3:23 AMP).

We all need help with that, so here’s another Veggie Tale verse about patience that makes a great motto for us as writers:

“If you take your time and do things right

If you’re willing to wait, your work will be great.

I am willing to wait.

My work will be great

With patience I’ll do things right.”

God, you have called us to spread your love, grace and mercy through the written and spoken word. Help us to wait on you for your perfect timing in all we do. In our waiting, develop in us patience and all the fruit of the Spirit so we can reflect you in all we do.

Helping Christians develop a creative and joyful prayer life is Sandra’s passion. She has served as Prayer Coordinator at two churches, leads small group Bible studies, speaks on the topic of prayer at women’s groups and conferences and teaches an online class on prayer at BeADisciple.com. Find out more about Sandra at: sandrakaychambers.com and PrayWaves.com.