"THE TRYING OF YOUR FAITH WORKETH PATIENCE." Patience is God's gift. Patience sustains us in trials and troubles, helps us endure each testing; it is God's remedy for fretfulness, murmuring and despondency; it produces submission and silence before God, and acceptance of His dealings. The Holy Spirit increases patience by means of afflictions: tribulation works patience. Every Christian should possess it and exercise it; yea, let it have its perfect work. To this end let us study the examples of suffering and patience recorded for us in the Bible; let us take up and plead God's promises; let us remember that eternal love appointed every trial and trouble; that Jesus forewarned us of tribulation; that He has set us an example which we do well to imitate. Impatience dishonours our Lord and grieves the Spirit; patience benefits others, and is a great blessing to ourselves. Let us watch against yielding to impatience, rather in patience possess our souls. So shall we dignify our Lord, manifest our sincerity, and prove our godly principles.

For Meditation:
Dear Lord, though bitter be the cup
Thy gracious hand deals out to me,
I cheerfully would drink it up;
That cannot harm which comes from Thee;
The gift of patience, Lord impart
To calm and soothe my troubled heart.