8 Bible Stories to Teach Your Child About Patience

There's a lot that we can learn about life by reading the Bible. One of the most important lessons is how to be patient. Life will not always go the way we want, but we must not get upset or feel rushed. The key is to be patient, pray, plan, and everything will eventually work out. It may not work out overnight, but eventually, it will be okay. To show you what we mean, here are eight Bible stories to teach your child about patience. If you want to hear more about how to have a happy and stress-free life, check out this article about the Bible stories that teach you and your child about peace.

The first lesson you can use to teach your child about patience is about Abraham and his wife, Sarah. They desperately wanted to have a child, and they tried and tried. However, for years, it wouldn't happen. It wasn't easy to not get what they truly wanted, but they had to have patience. God knew what they wanted. He never intended to keep a son away from them forever, but everything works in his timing. When the time was right, Sarah had that baby, and they were eternally thankful. When you talk to your kids and tell them this story, remind them that they may not get everything they want immediately, but they should not lose hope. By being patient and putting some faith in God's plan, they can be happy while they wait for what they need.

Paul the Apostle was one of the firmest believers in Jesus Christ, and he preached about him every day to whoever would listen. Even today, preaching the Gospel can be hard, but back then, when fewer people understood about Jesus, it was even harder. It would have been hard enough if Paul had only been ridiculed, but it was worse than that. He was stoned, beaten, thrown in jail, and he even was in a boat accident that left him alone on a deserted island. Still, he knew what he was supposed to do, so regardless of what happened, he kept preaching. He knew it wouldn't always be easy, but he was patient and kept doing what was right. Your kids can do that in their lives as well. Work through the tough times and be patient, and they'll get to the end knowing that they did what was right.

Joseph was one of many brothers, but his father favored him above the others. As a result, his brothers were very jealous, so much so that they wanted to get rid of him. So, they tricked him and had him sold into slavery. After being a slave for years, he was then thrown into jail even though he didn't do anything wrong. Although he was in jail for many years, he never lost faith in the idea that, though this was far from perfect, it must have been a part of God's will, and it was. After that time, he was released and he eventually gained a position of power that was essential so he could help his brothers when there was a famine in the land. It could have been easy for Joseph to lose his faith while in jail, but he was patient, and it paid off. Life may not always seem great, but your kids must be patient, and they will find happiness.

One of the most challenging Bible stories you can use to teach your child about patience is the story of Job. He had a strong faith in God. His faith was so strong that he became a pawn in a deal between God and Satan. The devil thought that if everything was taken away from Job, he would lose faith in God. So, Job lost his children, his money, and his health. Most other people would be miserable, and most would lose faith in the God that controls the world. However, Job did the opposite. Despite the bad advice of his wife and friends, Job never lost his faith, and eventually, everything he lost was returned and then some. The point here is that Job was having a hard life, but he wouldn't give up. Things won't always go our way, but we must not lose faith, and we certainly shouldn't curse God. Eventually, everything will work its way out.

Perhaps the most important lesson and example of patience in the Bible is how God is patient with every man and woman on earth. All people are born as sinners, but God gives us free will. He allows us to find our faith in Jesus Christ and to believe that he died on the cross for our sins. If we truly believe in that and are born again, we will have eternal life in heaven. Those that don't believe in what Jesus did for them likely will not end up in heaven. God doesn't make any split decisions. Instead, he's very patient. He allows us until the end of our lives to find faith in Jesus, and he doesn't force anyone to do anything. Since we're all sinners in some form, God could decide that none of us get into heaven, but he's patient, and it's a wonderful thing. You can teach your kids to also be patient with others.

Moses was tasked by God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and into Israel. It was a long and daunting task, even when they had God on their side every step of the way. The biggest issue was that even though they were rescued from slavery, the Israelites never stopped complaining, and so they had to walk for 40 years. It wasn't easy for Moses to lead these people, especially when they didn't appreciate anything he and God were doing for them. Moses had to be patient and do his best even when things didn't seem like they were going so well. There are a couple important lessons here. One is that even when things aren't going your way, you must be patient, and your problems will work themselves out. There's also an important lesson here if your kids ever want to become a manager at their job as adults. They will have employees who will complain, but they must be patient and do their best, and they will succeed.

Ruth was one of the best characters in the Bible when it comes to teaching your child about patience. She underwent many hardships during her life. At one point, she lost her husband and experienced incredible grief. Later on, she would need to travel to an unfamiliar town, and she felt great fear along the way. When she got there, she had to struggle in a new land as an immigrant. Even when she found a new husband, Boaz, she still struggled, and for a while, she was never truly happy. However, she was patient. Over time, she was able to appreciate her new life, acclimate to the culture, and be fulfilled in life. The lesson for your kids is that they may not always feel complete, but it doesn't mean that all is lost. Plus, everyone deals with grief differently. The point is that patience is key to withstand your hardships and come out in a better position on the other side.

A final lesson to teach your child about patience is that of Queen Esther. She won a beauty contest and won the title of Queen. However, what the king didn't know was that she was Jewish, and he didn't like the Jewish people. Even worse, Esther learned that the king was planning to do away with the Jewish people. Esther wanted to stop his plan. She was patient and found a way to convince the king to not follow through with his evil plan. Esther also had some other issues along the way. However, she didn't panic and didn't give up. She stood the test of time, and in the end, she prevailed. Though they may not be the same, your child will also face trials in their lives, but they mustn't give up. They should have patience, and they'll find a way through even the toughest circumstances.