Proverbs 25:15

With patience a ruler may be persuaded,
and a soft tongue will break a bone.

Are you a patient person? Do you get all stressed when waiting for something? Do you give up easily when you do not see things going in the direction you wish?

Patience is a gift few people have, particularly in our current society. Most of us are, by nature, desperate people desiring to get what we want right away. We tend to give up quickly when we do not see quick results. We are quick to take our business elsewhere when we feel we are not being served quickly enough, and we tend to embrace everything else in our lives with the same attitude.    

The Bible teach us in James 1:2-4: "Count it all joy my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness and let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

Every waiting period in our lives becomes a test and sometimes a trial.  The practical question to ask of this test is: how can I possibly be joyful when I am uncertain about the future?  The answer is that through trials and waiting periods God is growing our faith, and if our faith grows, our relationship with God improves.

We are also encouraged by this verse to be persistent as in the parable of the persistent widow that Jesus teaches us in Luke 18:1-8.  In particular we should be persistent in our prayers to God, even when we do not see a quick response from him. God’s timing is perfect.

Finally through the phrase "a soft tongue will break a bone" we are taught to have a humble attitude when requesting something especially before God. He owes us nothing, and we owe him everything.  We are saved by his grace through the work of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross, so let our prayer requests be with thanksgiving all the time because our Lord is good and his steadfastness endures forever.