Practicing Patience

The Book of Proverbs is rich with wisdom.

One such nugget concerns controlling one’s temper.

Proverbs 16:32 (NRSVue) - One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and one whose temper is controlled than one who captures a city.

Revelation 14 contains the message of the three angels.

Verse 12 touches on the endurance of the saints.

And controlling one’s temper requires endurance.

Revelation 14:12 (NRSVue) - Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and hold fast to the faith of Jesus.

In today’s world, people lose their tempers all too quickly.

Discussions are quickly replaced by arguments.

Road rage grows more commonplace.

News stories abound concerning lost tempers and their consequences.

Pride and impatience play their roles in our world.

That is why we need to rely on God’s strength rather than our own.

We should pray for self-control and patience.

With God’s help, our interactions with others can be rooted in love, not anger.

We should be patient with our fellow man.

After all, God is patient with us.

 

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com on Friday, September 25, 2026.

I will be back here on Friday, October 2, 2026

Creation Continues; Does Our Gratitude?

Isaiah 48 discusses God as the Creator and the Redeemer.

Through the prophet, God tells the people about new things they knew nothing about.

Isaiah 48:6b (NRSVue) - …From this time forward I tell you new things, hidden things that you have not known.

In Acts 17, Paul is in Athens.

He tells the people there about the Resurrection.

This was new to them.

Some found this too difficult to comprehend.

Still others wanted to know more.

Acts 17:32 (NRSVue) - When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some scoffed, but others said, “We will hear you again about this.”

In our modern and hectic world, it is altogether too easy to take things for granted.

God continues to create new wonders for us to appreciate.

Bombarded by distractions, do we really take the time to see them?

If we do, do we appreciate them?

And if we do, are we too busy to give thanks?

From a personal perspective, God creates for us a new life through Christ.

For this alone, our joy should be boundless.

And that joy should only be exceeded by our gratitude.

 

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com on Friday, September 11, 2026.

I will be back here on Friday, September 18, 2026