Fruit of the Spirit (Patience)

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9 NIV).

   The word “patience” is not used in the Scripture quoted above, but it is implied in two parts: “at the proper time,” and “do not give up.”   There will come a time, but we must keep faith.  God is faithful and is worthy of our trust in Him.  The first part of the verse tells us not to become weary.  In Psalm 37:4, a Psalm of David, we are told, “Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart” (NIV).  Most people say that this means that God puts a desire in our heart, and then He fulfills it.  If we believe the other interpretation, that God gives us anything that we desire, then we have a blank check with God’s signature.  God loves us enough not to give us a blank check to do just any old thing we want.  If He is going to fulfill the desires of our hearts, then I believe that He puts the desires there.  And if He puts them there, then He will fulfill them.  But He will fulfill them on His timetable not ours.  “That’s hard because sometimes I have to wait too long.”   Have you ever said that?  I have.  Does that mean that I do not have patience?  It may seem that way, but according to Galatians 5:22,23, patience is one part of the fruit of the Spirit that we receive when we accept Jesus Christ as Savior.   

   So, if I am “born again,” I have patience.  That’s true; I was given patience when I accepted Jesus as Lord.   Then why does it seem that I don’t have it?  I have a current project that I have been working on for over two years, and I thought it was finished, but it appears that there are things that still need to happen for the project to be really complete.  And I am feeling impatient.  It’s probably because I haven’t learned to exercise patience, to help it grow in my life.  It will grow as I exercise it, and it looks like this is one of those times that I have to just trust a little longer. 

   This project is a desire that God put in my heart, so I know that it will be completed, and now I have to believe that God’s timing is better than mine, and to do that I have to believe that God is helping me to grow in patience.   Galatians 6:9 must become a biblical rock for me at this time.  Chances to grow in patience may be uncomfortable, but they do draw us closer to our Lord, so I thank Him for them.