Bible Verses for Patience – 30 Day Bible Reading Plan

These 30 Bible Verses for Patience will help you grow in patience as you lean on God to strengthen your faith.

Does your patience run thin? If you are thinking, YES my patience runs thin almost every day, I get it. I’ve been there, too. Together, let’s study what God’s Word says about developing more patience.

How Can I Develop More Patience?

Here are just a few of the times I’ve been impatient and grouchy in the last week:

• In a traffic jam when I was running late to a doctor’s appointment.
• When my son wanted to talk about that time 3 years ago when he broke his arm and hash out every detail…again.
• When my husband forgot the details of our kids’ schedule.
• When people at church are being (in my oh-so-humble opinion) stubborn ministry decisions.

During these times that my patience is running thin, I find myself striking out in anger instead of with the calm and patience I long to have.

How do you respond to these type of situations that stretch your patience? If you find yourself becoming irritated, snappish or unreasonable, you aren’t alone. The good news is we have access to God’s strength and peace to see us through.

God’s power is crucial to the development of patience. Colossians 1:11 tells us that we are strengthened by Him to “great endurance and patience.” James 1:3-4 encourages us to know that trials are His way of perfecting our patience.

On my own, I quickly run out of patience. As a mom, it’s especially easy to grow weary and impatient with my kids’ endless needs and demands. Whether you are a parent or not, all of us can relate to times you’ve grown increasingly frustrated with a family member, co-worker, or check-out clerk at the grocery store.

When Your Family Wasn’t Patient: How Your Childhood Impacts Your Patience

I grew up in a family that yelled. A lot.

My parents were verbal, vocal, and not afraid to express themselves. While there are benefits to this kind of open communication, I also suffered emotional harm from the times they said terrible things to me in anger.

I see now that they were loving parents who were doing the best they could, but that doesn’t take away the deep impact of their harsh words.

If you grew up with a parent or parents who often lost their temper, that’s a pattern that you may have learned, too. (You may have also grown up with parents who withheld their feelings or gave the silent treatment, which can be just as damaging.)

The good news is that what we learn, we can relearn in a healthier way. While this takes intentional effort, and often therapy as it did in my case, it can be done.

With the power of God at work in your lives, you can grow in patience as you use the power of the Holy Spirit to develop spiritual maturity.

What Does It Say In The Bible About Patience?

The Bible has plenty of teach us about patience.

The Bible speaks of patience in the Old and New Testament. Use our 30-day Bible reading plan (with free printable, below) to grow in this important area.

Top 3 Bible Verses for Patience

Here are the best Bible verses for patience. Each verse gives you deeper understanding into patience in hard times. These are Bible verses for patience in relationships, and about perseverance when times are difficult.

1. Romans 12:2 – Be patient in tribulation.

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Romans 12:2

2. Galatians 6:9 – Do not grow weary of doing good.

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Galatians 6:9

3. Romans 8:29 – We wait with patience.

But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Romans 8:29

How Do I Pray For Patience?

There’s an old saying to be careful what you pray for – if you pray for patience, God will give you difficult situations to practice!

Yet all joking aside, a prayer for patience is an important one for every Christian. Pray for patience regularly.

A Prayer For Patience

Use this prayer during times you are running low in patience and need God’s help.

Lord, it’s been a hard day. I feel overwhelmed and angry, and it is coming out in my lack of patience. Would you meet me where I am and help me to pause, take a deep breath and walk in patience so that I can honor you? Speak peace into my heart right now, Lord.

Give me the patience to linger in your presence so that I may display your love and patience to others today and in this hard season. Help me to meditate on these Bible verses for patience and hold them close to my heart.

Fill me with patience and drown my anger with your peace. 

Thank you for never being too tired or impatient to listen to my cries for help. Thank you for renewing my mind and feelings.

In Jesus name, Amen.

-prayer by Sara Borgstede, The Holy Mess

Who Had Patience in the Bible?

When we need help with patience, it helps to look to Biblical examples of people in the Bible of what to do (or not to do!) to learn from them.

Stories Of Patience in Scripture

Abraham is a great example of patience. God promised to Abraham that he would be the father of many nations. But when the promise was first given (Genesis 12:1-3) Abraham and his wife Sarah did not have any children. God continued to restate His promise to Abraham through the years (Genesis 13:6; 15:1-6; 17:6-8; 18:10).

Yet Abraham also struggled with patience. Abraham took his wife’s suggestion and had a child with Sarah’s handmaid. The son’s name was Ishmael. This was not the son God intended for Abraham. (Genesis 16) Abraham’s story shows his stumbles and lack of trust in God’s timing.

Finally when Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90 years old, God gave them their son Isaac. Though it took years of patiently waiting, they received the promise of God. Hebrews 6:15 says of Abraham, “And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.” – What Christians Want To Know

Other examples of patience in the Bible are Job, Ruth, and Joseph. Their stories inspire us to lean on God for patience in challenging life seasons.

Is Patience A Virtue?

Patience is a virtue and talked about throughout the Bible in the Old and New Testaments in general terms. The actual phrase “patience is a virtue” is not Biblical.

According to 1 Samuel, “lack of patience can cause you to miss blessings.” Being patient is an important part of trusting in God as our life circumstances are not always what we want.

Ephesians 4:2 reminds us that our calling as Christians is to bear with one another and treat each other with patience.

…with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love…

Ephesians 4:2

How Did Jesus Show Patience?

Jesus is even more patient than we are sinful. Isn’t that amazing to consider?

Consider 2 Thessalonians 3:5, “May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.” 

Steadfastness can be translated as “patient endurance.” Jesus had steadfastness as He patiently bore our sins, even until death on the cross. Jesus had not sinned and didn’t deserve this horrific punishment. He took it on for you and me out of His great love for us.

Christian Quote on Patience

Here is a top quote about God’s patience, and how it is a reflection of His incredible love and grace for you.

To discover yourself a recipient of Christ’s patience is to know you are loved by God.

David Matthews

30 Scriptures for Patience – Free PDF Printable

Use this 30 Bible verses printable to grow in patience as you learn from God’s Words directly from the Bible. Each day has a verse that will give you deeper insight and understanding into God’s patience for you, and how you can develop more patience for the people in your life.

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