The Fruit of the Spirit is Patience...

We live in a culture of instant gratification. If we’re hungry, we can pull up to the window of a fast food restaurant and have our food without ever leaving our cars, yet, if it takes more than a minute or two, we get frustrated because it’s taking too long. We (some of us anyway) also have high speed internet—dial up simply moves too slow. Never mind the fact that we can now use instant messengers and e-mail and have a response in seconds instead of waiting for a letter to cross the oceans. Waiting seems to be an archaic concept that is far from a virtue. It is, however, a fruit of the Spirit and a characteristic in which the Christian is supposed to be growing.

So, is there a secret to having patience? I think there is. It’s all about perspective. If we are only thinking about the present or the immediate future, I think we will tend to be impatient. If, however, we keep our eyes on the bigger picture—looking at this life in terms of eternal life—it will be easier to be patient. Notice, I did not say “easy” … I said “easier.” If we are considering how our lives fit into God’s plan, we won’t be as quick to “sweat the small stuff.” So, while it may not be popular, I urge you to … “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” (Romans 12:12) Furthermore,

May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. (Colossians 1:11-12)

In His grip,
Pastor Decker