21 Days of Prayer & Fasting 2021: Day 18

DAY 18: PATIENCE & KINDNESS
Thursday, February 25

READ
Romans 5:3-4

REFLECT
In a New York Times article titled, “Why Waiting is Torture,” author Bendik Kaltenborn explains a project undertaken by a Houston airport after passengers began complaining about waiting too long to pick up their bags at baggage claim:


It seems that waiting is more about perspective than anything. When we think we are waiting too long for something, we become anxious, frustrated, disappointed, and angry because we are not in control of our circumstances. All of this centers around impatience. As a result of our impatience, we become less kind to those around us. Our food takes too long to get to our table, so we are unkind to the waiter/waitress, although it is not his/her fault. We are unkind with our work colleague because he/she is not giving us information we need to complete a task on our timetable. In short, patience and kindness go hand-in-hand.

When we are patient with others it comes from a heart of kindness. How can we express kindness if we are impatient? We learn patience through hard times. And it is in enduring those hard times that God’s patience is developed in us.

RESPOND
Spend time in prayer, following the Upward, Inward, Outward, Upward format.

Upward: Who God is; What God has done, is doing, will do
Inward: Who you are; How you live
Outward: Intercession for others; unified prayer focus with Pathway

TODAY’S PRAYER: God, remind us of the kindness you have expressed to us through the gift of grace. Thank you for being patient with us as we continually fail in trying to please you. Help us to look to your patience and kindness as we reflect that toward others. Produce in us the fruit of patience and kindness!

Upward: Thanksgiving and Worship