It Pays to Be Patient

[It Pays to Be Patient]( Current Teaching Series [A Faith That Works When Life Doesn't – Part 2]( [Listen to Today's Broadcast]( [It Pays to Be Patient]( By Rick Warren — 08/31/2020 [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Pinterest]( [Email]( “We count as blessed those who have persevered.” James 5:11 (NIV) God rewards patience. James 5:11 says, “We count as blessed those who have persevered” (NIV). In other words, it pays to be patient. When you are patient, it builds your character, you avoid mistakes, and you’re going to reach your goals. When you’re patient, you’re going to be honored by others and have happier relationships. There are all kinds of blessings and benefits. Have you noticed—especially during this time of the coronavirus—that it’s hard to be patient when you’re tired? We’re all feeling weary from the drawn-out uncertainty and craziness of the pandemic. “Let us not get tired of doing what is right, for after a while we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t get discouraged and give up” (Galatians 6:9 TLB). There are blessings to be had through this season of waiting during the pandemic—in your character, your circumstances, your family, and God’s church. And they’re not just rewards to enjoy right now. The Bible says there are going to be rewards in heaven, too. Jesus says in Matthew 5:11-12, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven” (NIV). When someone hurts you, one of your strongest desires may be to retaliate. People have experienced a lot of hurt feelings lately when it comes to how we choose to respond to the pandemic. And with that comes a lot of temptation to fight back and lash out. Whenever you’re criticized and tempted to strike back, think first: Is this fight worth giving up the reward promised to you in heaven? It’s not. As a leader, I get criticized a lot. People misjudge and question and doubt and second-guess me all the time. I’ve learned to not defend myself. I remain quiet, because I’ve discovered that you’re most like Jesus when you don’t retaliate. You’re most like Jesus when you refuse to fight back. Even when he was accused and mistreated, Jesus chose to do what was right and not retaliate in the middle of a crisis. If you choose to let God handle it when someone hurts you, he sees it. And he will bless you. [PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>]( Talk It Over - In what relationships have you found it most difficult to practice patience during the pandemic? - Do you treasure eternal rewards more than earthly rewards? How is your answer revealed in the choices you make when you’re hurt or criticized? - How does patience help create healthy relationships? The post [It Pays to Be Patient]( appeared first on [Pastor Rick's Daily Hope](. [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Pinterest]( [Email]( [Get Building Your Life on Values That Last Guided Experience Book when you give a gift to support Daily Hope]( How do you discover the life you were meant to live? And how do you live it well? You base your identity and decisions on the eternal values revealed in God’s Word—and we want to help you do that by sending you Pastor Rick’s guided study book, Building Your Life on Values That Last. This beautiful, interactive resource with a soft, vegan-leather cover shows you how to lead a life of true success and significance when you build it on the foundation of God’s unchanging truth. [LEARN MORE]( [Complete Audio Series (Purchase)]( Includes 9 full-length messages from Pastor Rick's series Building My Life on Values That Last. [LEARN MORE]( [Series Summary]( Message 1: A Faith That De-escalates Conflict Message 2: A Faith That Handles Delays Patiently Message 3: Facing Darkness, Finding Hope Message 4: A Faith That Helps Me Filter What I Say Message 5: A Faith That Makes Me More Merciful and Less Judgmental Message 6: A Faith That Keeps Me Hopeful [PLAY TODAY'S BROADCAST]( Pastor Rick Warren [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Linkedin]( Enjoy today's devotional? Listen to Pastor Rick’s daily audio teaching at [PastorRick.com]( Did someone forward this devotional to you? [Subscribe to Pastor Rick Warren's Daily Devotional.]( As the founding pastor of Saddleback Church with his wife Kay, Dr. Rick Warren leads a 30,000-member congregation in California with campuses in major cities around the world. As an author, his book [The Purpose Driven Life]( is one of the best-selling nonfiction books in publishing history. It has been translated into 74 languages and sold more than 50 million copies in all formats. His book [The Purpose Driven Church]( was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the century. Rick also founded [The PEACE Plan]( to address five global issues—spiritual emptiness, self-serving leadership, poverty, disease, and illiteracy—through the power of ordinary people in the local church. You can listen to Pastor Rick’s Daily Hope, his daily 25-minute audio teaching, and sign up for his free daily devotionals at [PastorRick.com](. © 2020 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission. You can unsubscribe by clicking the link below. Sent to: {EMAIL} [Unsubscribe]( Pastor Rick's Daily Hope, 23182 Arroyo Vista, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688, United States