“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: …patience…”

                                                                                                                                  Galatians 5:22a

 

 “And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved.”

2 Peter 3:15a

 

It's time for patience

 

How many of us have heard someone say, “Don’t pray for patience!” It’s one of those conundrums—how do you know that you have patience if your patience is never tried? Therefore, if you pray for it, it will have to be tested to see that you have it… Do we really want that?

 

Galatians 5:22 says that patience is a section of the “fruit of the Spirit” that should be exemplified in a Christian’s life. It’s something that others should see displayed. Looking at the foundational word that’s translated as patience or longsuffering, we see that it means to “remain under” the difficulty. It means to stay rather than “fly off” at the situation.

 

Peter reminds his readers of the truth that God is patient with us. In fact, it is because of God’s patience with us that we have time to be saved! God doesn’t just fly off the handle when we mess up and wash His hands of us. He continues patiently trying to bring us along to the place where we recognize our need for Him. It’s the place where the relationship starts and other times a place where it’s restored.

 

How often have we found ourselves at the end of our patience with someone? Maybe we’ve severed a relationship because of it. Maybe we’ve never started a relationship with someone because… well… we just wouldn’t have the patience it would take with them. I know—I’ve been there. That’s because patience that is produced from us is never patient enough! Only God can produce the type of patience that both Paul listed in Galatians and that Peter talked about in his reference to God’s patience with us.

 

Someone said that this word “patience” is the opposite of “short-tempered.” We literally become “long-tempered.” The Spirit produces in us the ability to “remain under” the thing that is upsetting us. Our temper doesn’t explode; it doesn’t simmer, it waits patiently for the situation to change. Now we have to admit, that’s not something we can do in our own strength.

 

Are there relationships in our lives that could use this fruit section called patience? Are there relationships we are about to give up on or have already given up on? Are there people we need to connect with but haven’t because we just don’t think we have the patience for it? Maybe we need to pray for patience. Maybe we need to ask the Spirit to grow this section of fruit to maturity in us! 

 

Reminder: We are known by our fruits… (Matthew 7:16a)