The Fruit of Patience

“But the fruit of the Spirit is…patience”—Galatians 5:22

Are you patient? In our very busy, consumer centered, drive-thru, instant gratification culture; patience is one of the most rare and least desirable of virtues. But before proceeding further, let’s get a definition of patience. What is it and how can we have it? Patience is the quality or capacity to accept delay without getting angry, annoyed, or upset—and this all without complaining.

Before we can get patience, we need to understand what it looks like. And the perfect example of patience is God. God is patient with us—but for what reason? He is patient with us in order to bring us to repentance. As Paul wrote, “Or do you presume on the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?”—Romans 2:4.

God’s patience is meant to not only lead us to repentance, but to show the greatness of who He is, as Paul described,

“What if God, desiring to show His wrath and to make known His power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of His glory for vessels of mercy, which He has prepared beforehand for glory—even us whom He has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?”—Romans 9:22-24.

God wanted to display His greatness through us, so that others might be drawn to the Savior and be saved, as Paul wrote to Timothy, “But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display His perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in Him for eternal life.”—1 Timothy 1:16.

Jesus is perfectly patient with us, desirous that we come to repentance. It is after we come to know Christ and His Spirit is placed within us that we can truly be patient with others. And how do we do this? By continually taking in the things of the Spirit (i.e. the Word of God, prayer, the fellowship of God’s people, etc.), and realizing how often God has been patient with us.

Perhaps an illustration might help here. Imagine for a moment the most annoying person you know. Think about how hard it may be to be patient with them. Difficult isn’t it? Now, think about this. You are that person. You are that same type of person to someone else. How would you want them to treat you? Now, you are getting the idea. If we want others to be patient with us, we need to be patient with others first.

How about you? Are you patient? Are you patient with your spouse? Family? Friends? Coworkers? Classmates? Who do you need to have an extra dose of patience for? Ask God to help you understand how He is patient with you, so you might be patient with others. It is only by cultivating the Spirit’s presence in our lives that we can truly be patient with others. And why are we patient? In the same way God is patient with us—that others might see the greatness of God and be drawn into a loving relationship with the risen Savior.

May God enable us to be patient as He is so that others might see His kindness and mercy, repent of their sin, and turn to the Savior who gave His life to redeem them. Amen.