Fruit of The Spirit – Patience
Becoming More Patient
We have been working our way through the virtues of the Fruit of the Spirit. Our focal verse for this series is from the book of Galatians where it says:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Gal 5:22-23 (NASB)
Today we are going to look at patience.
The famous psychologist-educator John Dewey said that the most useful virtue in the world is patience. The fact is we need it all the time and we need it everywhere. Proverbs 16:32 says:
“It is better to be patient than powerful. It is better to win control over yourself than over whole cities.” Proverbs 16:32 (GNB)
By “testing” our patience – God gives us true patience. It is easy to appear patient when everything is going your way. But what happens when things aren’t going your way? How patient are you? Here are four ways to test you patience.
TEST YOUR PATIENCE
1. INTERRUPTIONS
The first test is interruptions. We have all experienced these. You sit down to dinner and the phone rings. Or you are in the bathtub and a salesperson comes to the door. Or you are working on a deadline and visitors arrive. Our best plans are often interrupted.
Jesus’ disciples were just a human as we are. They disliked interruptions. They became impatient with people who interrupted Jesus’ busy schedule. Do you recall the scene in the Bible where people were bringing children to Jesus to have him bless him? The Bible says:
“Then some children were brought to Jesus so that He might lay His
hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus
said, "Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to
Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
Mat 19:13-14 (NASB)
The disciples looked at this event as an interruption – Jesus looked at it as an opportunity.
How do you handle interruptions? That is the first test of your patience.
The second test is:
2. INCONVENIENCES
Inconveniences are the second test of your patience. How do you deal with inconveniences in your life? Americans hate to be delayed. We are the “Now Generation.” We have a microwave mentality – we want – what we want – when we want it. We have Minute Rice, instant oatmeal – instant coffee, and fast food. We don’t like to wait.
A hundred and fifty years ago people didn’t worry if they missed a stagecoach – they could always catch another one in a day or two. Today we have a heart attack if we miss the green light! We are in such a hurry. We have to get going. We can’t wait.
Luke 10:40 tells us about a woman who had trouble being patient in the face of inconvenience. Jesus went to the home of Mary and Martha. Martha was busy preparing a meal for the guests. But Mary was not helping. So here is what happens:
“Martha had her hands full of the work of the house, and she came to Jesus and said, “Lord, is it nothing to you that my sister has let me do all the work? Say to her that she is to give me some help.”
Luke 10:40 (BBE)
Martha was upset with her sister because Mary had left her to do all the work. Have you ever felt this way? Have you ever felt that the load you were carrying was not fair? There should be others to help you. How do you react? Are you patient despite the inconvenience?
The third test is:
3. IRRITATIONS
The third test of your patience is irritations – those little things in life that bug you. Here is a list of some irritations – slow traffic – long lines – flat tires – hot weather – the list could go on and on. Some of these irritations are controllable – but most of them aren’t. So we have to learn to cope. How do you handle them? It takes patience.
We read about Moses in the book of Numbers where he became irritated with the Israelites on one particular occasion. He had put up with their petty complaints and criticisms for years and now he had no patience left. When God told him to speak to the rock to get water but here is what happened:
“Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly before the rock. And he said to them, "Listen now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?" Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation and their beasts drank.” Num 20:10-11 (NASB)
God had told Moses to speak to the rock – instead Moses struck the rock. As a result of this one act – God did not allow him to enter the Promised Land. Moses was usually a patient person – but even patient people have their limits – or so it would seem.
For many of us our greatest irritation in life are people. We run into people who are irritating or get us down somehow.
Perhaps we need to learn the lessons of the oyster. The oyster takes an irritation – a grain of sand – and turns it into a pearl. Learning to respond to irritations positively will enable you to transform your irritation into pearls.
The fourth test of patience is:
4. INACTIVITY
The fourth test of your patience is inactivity. Most of us would rather do anything but wait. We hate to wait in the doctor’s office – wait at the stop light – wait in line at the supermarket, or be confined to bed rest.
Most of you know that I was in the Army – in fact I was in the Army for almost thirty years. One of the famous saying in the Army is – “Hurry up and wait.” I remember two times when this was extremely true. The first time was when I was at the National Training Center (NTC) in California. We were told that we needed to hurry up and get in line because the bus was coming to pick us up and we didn’t want to miss it. It was lunch time – but that didn’t matter – we did not want to miss the bus. So we got in line and stood there for four hours. We didn’t want to be late.
The second time I was in Iraq at the end of Desert Storm. The ground war was over and it was time to head home. We did not want to be late so we were told to pack up and get ready. We took our tents down – got everything loaded in the vehicle and then sat there for two days. “Hurry up and wait” was real in the Army and you had to have patience.
We often speak of the “patience of Job.” Job is an example of a man who could do nothing but wait. He said:
"All the days of my struggle I will wait until my change comes.”
Job 14:14b (NASB)
We can learn much from Job’s example. There are some things that you just have to wait for.
HOW TO BECOME A PATIENT PERSON
What causes impatience? A lack of peace. Perhaps that is why God put patience right after peace in the list of fruit of the Spirit. When you have peace in your heart – almost nothing can make you impatient. But when you do not have peace in your heart – almost anything can make you impatient. So how can you learn to be a patient person? The Bible reveals a four-part answer.
1. Develop a New PERSPECTIVE
First, develop a new perspective. Find a new way of looking at the situation or the person that is giving you problems. Patience begins by changing the way you view something. When I am impatient – I have a limited perspective. All I see is myself: my needs, my desires, my goals, my wants, my schedule, and how people are messing up my life. The root of impatience is selfishness. So I need to get a new perspective on life. I need to learn to see thing from other people’s point of view.
Would you like to know the secret of success?
If you want to be a successful husband or wife – learn to see life from your partner’s point of view.
If you want to be a successful parent – learn to see life from your child’s point of view.
If you want to be a successful businessperson – learn to see life from your customer’s point of view.
If you want to be a successful employer – learn to see life from your employees’ point of view.
Look at the situation from the other’s perspective and discover why that person feels as he or she does. This does not mean that you have to agree with them – but it sure helps to understand them.
Now look at what the writer of the book of Proverbs says:
“Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.” Proverbs 4:5 (NASB)
One way to acquire wisdom and understanding is to see things in life from God’s point of view – getting God’s perspective on a situation. From that perspective I gain three important insights.
Three Important Insights To Remember
(1) I am only human – I am not God.
(2) No one is perfect – Not even me.
(3) God is in control – He uses every situation to make me better.
The Bible says:
“Man's steps are ordered by the Lord.” Proverbs 20:24 (AMP)
This means you may experience some divine delays – some heavenly interruptions. Sometimes God will put irritating people around you for the purpose of teaching you something. Get a new perspective. Look at it from God’s point of view. Patience is a mark of maturity. Most children are very impatient but maturity involves the ability to wait. A person of understanding and wisdom – can be patient. So we need to discover a new perspective.
Second:
2. Acquire a Sense of HUMOR
A second way to become a patient person is to develop a sense of humor. Learn to laugh at your circumstances. Learn to laugh at yourself. Learn to have joy in every situation: The Bible says:
“A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, But when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken.” Proverbs 15:13 (NASB)
And:
“A joyful heart is good medicine, But a broken spirit dries up the bones.” Proverbs 17:22 (NASB)
Scientific studies show that people who laugh live longer. Humor is a tension dissolver. It is an antidote to anxiety. It is a tranquilizer without any troublesome side effects. Laughter is life’s shock absorber.
Many famous comedians grew up in poor neighborhoods with lots of problems. They coped with their troubles by learning to laugh and making others laugh.
So learn to laugh. If you can laugh at it – you can live with it. And besides, if you learn to laugh at your troubles, you will never run out of anything to laugh at!
Life is full of funny situations. Will Rogers once said, “I don’t know any jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.”
Next:
3. Deepen Your LOVE
The third step in becoming a patient person is to deepen your love. First Corinthians 13:4 is probably one of the most straightforward verses in Bible. It says:
“Love is patient…..” 1 Cor. 13:4
This means that when I am impatient – I am being unloving. When you love someone – you care about that person’s needs, desires, hurts, and point of view – not just your own. When you are filled with love, almost nothing can provoke you to anger or cause you to be impatient. When you are filled with anger, almost anything can provoke you. When you are under pressure, whatever is inside is doing to come out. So deepen your love.
Ephesians 4:1-2 says:
“Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love…” Eph 4:1-2 (NASB)
Why should you be patient with others? Because the Lord commands you to love people.
Next:
4. Depend on the LORD
The final step in developing patience is to depend on God.
Patience is not merely a matter of human willpower – it is the fruit of the Spirit. You cannot just psych yourself up and say, “I’m going to be patience today if it kills me.” It will.
Patience is not just willpower. Patience is not saying, “He doesn’t really irritate me,” when deep inside you are really thinking – I hate that guy. Patience is not wearing a mask and pretending.
If it is God’s patience you feel – if it is the genuine fruit of the Spirit. If it is fruit of the Spirit – you will have a genuine inner peace. Certain situations won’t bother you the way they used to. Why? Because you are depending on the Lord.
But folks here is a fact – Patience is a form of faith.
It says, “I trust God. I believe that God is bigger than this problem. And I believe that God has his hand in these irritations and can use them in my life for good.”
Faith helps us look at life from God’s point of view. Faith helps us say, “God, what do you want me to learn in this situation?” instead of saying, “Why did this happen?” Because of faith we no longer need to ask God, “Why did I get a flat tire?” Instead, we can ask, “What do you want me to learn from this situation?”
Noah had to wait 120 years before the promised rain to come. That is a long time to be patient.
Abraham waited a hundred years to have a son. That is a long time to be patient.
Moses waited forty years in the desert and then spent another forty years leading the children of Israel across the desert to the Promised Land. That is a long time to be patient.
Everyone in Old Testament times was waiting for the Messiah to come.
In the New Testament, the disciples waited in the upper room for the Holy Spirit.
The Bible is a book about waiting. Why? Because waiting demonstrates faith and faith pleases God.
The hardest kind of waiting happens when you are in a hurry and God is not. It is hard to be patient when you are waiting for an answer to prayer – waiting for a miracle to happen. It is hard when you are in a hurry and God isn’t. But waiting patiently is an evidence of faith. It is also a test of faith. How long can you wait?
God is never late – his timing is perfect.
He may not move according to our schedule but he is always on time. He wants us to trust him and wait on him. The psalmist puts it this way:
“Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him…”
Psalm 37:7a (NASB)
Earlier in the psalm it says:
“Trust in the LORD and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.” Psalm 37:3-5 (NASB)
Twice in these verses we are told to trust. Trust – Dwell – Delight – Commit – are all aspects of faith. God longs for us to trust him more than anything else. Patience is evidence of our faith in him. Put your faith in Him.
Why should we be patient? Because God is patient and we are to be like him. The Bible says:
“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 (NASB)
God is patient – should we not be patient too?
(I wish to thank Rick Warren for the sermon starter ideas.)
