Fruits Of The Spirit: Patience

I am continuing this fruit of the spirit series with one that, if I’m honest I find super tricky…Patience!

Please tell me I am not alone! Anyone else have that problem?

It is obviously a universal issue for humans or it wouldn’t be a fruit of the spirit and something we need the Holy Spirit to help us with.

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness” – Galatians 5:22

As I have been reading and thinking about patience I have discovered a few things:

1.Being patient in reacting to things avoids trouble.

If we thought things through more, I’m sure life would run a bit smoother.

“Slowness to anger makes for deep understanding; a quick-tempered person stockpiles stupidity.” – Proverbs 14:29 (MSG)

Ain’t that the truth! When we rush into situations or are quick to respond to something that upsets or offends us, our words or actions can make a situation so much worse and even cause long-term damage that is hard, if not impossible to undo.

We need to stop and take a moment to consider, think, and pray through our actions or responses.

Do you rush into situations or respond too quickly, without well thought out words

2. God is developing our character in the wait.

In fact, waiting for things to happen forms character.

 “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.” – Psalm 37:7

As we wait patiently for the plans or even the promises that God has for us, He is shaping and forming us into the image of His son Jesus. Jesus never rushed around or got impatient. He always modelled absolute patience in all situations even when the disciples were panicking and wanting Him to rush on. He has complete and utter trust on His Father and listened out to what He was telling him to do.

In Mark 5:21-43, Jesus has just crossed the lake when Jairus approached Him and pleaded with Him to come and heal his sick daughter. Jesus set off with him but on the way the crowds gathered and the woman with the issue of bleeding reached in to touch Jesus (you probably know this story), and this delayed Him as He stopped and spoke with her.

During this waiting time Jairus must have been desperate for Jesus to hurry up, then his friends came to tell him his daughter had died. Jesus wasn’t worried about this situation and filled Jairus with hope and expectation that all would be well and when they got to Jairus’ home, Jesus brought her back to life.

In this story it’s clear that Jairus’s daughters’ life was in God’s hands and that Jairus just needed to be patient when everything in him must have been wanting to shout -“Hurry up Jesus, leave the woman who is bleeding and deal with my daughter first!”

That amazing situation would have changed Jairus and built such a trust in Him that his life was in God’s hands and that God had the best plans for him.

How is God developing your character in this season?

Spending time waiting patiently on Him in the ‘secret place’ is key to living a life laid down for Jesus. This is the place you go to be with God, where you just hang out together and wait to hear what He has to say. He always wants to talk to you but in this fast-paced life we lead how often do we have time to just hang out with God? We need to make this our number one priority, as everything comes out of this intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father.

How are you doing with prioritising father and daughter time with God?

3.God’s timing is perfect! So why the rush?

One of the most well-known verses in the bible about God’s timing is,

 “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” – Ecclesiastes 3

I have definitely found that when I have prayed about being patient God has put me in situations where I have had to be patient! When God is developing us, we have to be patient and trust in Him. He has the best plans for us and they are plans to do us good. When we rush in we may miss all that God has for us as we are not in line with His plans and the thing we are rushing to do may not be right for us in this season and more importantly we may not be ready.

When God holds things back, He is doing what any loving parent would do if they could see their child wasn’t ready and wouldn’t cope with all that was planned for them.

I am learning that being patient is about God changing me and developing me ready to be used by Him and I am learning to view ‘waiting’ differently. This is actually a season that is exciting, knowing that there is so much growth going on and it’s an active season not a passive season.

What is God preparing you for in this season?

In the waiting what are you doing? 

How are you using this precious preparation time?

A really big challenge for me is thinking about my attitude in being patient…

Am I still being positive or am I slipping into negativity?

Thank goodness, we have the precious Holy Spirit to help us navigate the waters of waiting and being patient. Rest assured if God is speaking to you through this blog you are in the very best company!