The Fruits of the Holy Spirit – Part Four – Patience

By Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

© God’s Breath Publications

 

In part one of this series we learned that Paul encouraged Christians to let the Word of Christ dwell richly within them (Colossians 3:16-17). He also encouraged followers of Christ to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18-20). Paul also taught that as believers obeyed the Word, followed the example of Christ and were filled with the Spirit they would manifest the fruit of the Holy Spirit.   

 

Galatians 5:22-25

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

 

This bearing of fruit is God’s will for our lives and it brings Him great glory.

 

John 15:8

“This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

 

So as we allow God’s Spirit to live in and through us, the Spirit produces a set of Christ-like qualities or virtues within us, the fruit of the Spirit. This fruit of the Spirit is manifested in relationships, in our relationship with God as well as with other followers of Christ. While we might think that the fruit of the Spirit are personal attributes and private virtues, they are more importantly interpersonal qualities, virtues that are a result of people loving and ministering to one another as they let the Word of Christ dwell in them, as they are filled with the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is manifested as we grow spiritually and this fruit is a nine-fold visible attribute of a true Christian life. This fruit is not a list of individual “fruits” from which we pick and choose. Rather, the fruit of the Spirit is one nine-fold “fruit” that characterizes all who truly walk in the Holy Spirit. Collectively, this is the fruit that all Christians should be producing in their new lives in Jesus Christ. In other words, the fruit of the Spirit is a physical manifestation of a Christian’s transformed life. In our last segments we learned about love, joy and peace. Now we study patience.

 

Patience is a quality of wise controlled restraint that prevents believers from speaking or acting hastily when faced with a situation of disagreement, opposition, or persecution.

 

The Greek word for patience is “makrothumia” (pronounced: mah-krow-thew-me-ah). It can also be translated “endurance,” perseverance,” or “longsuffering.”

 

We see that Jesus was very patient with sinners and those that followed Him as their teacher and Lord. His patience demonstrated He was led by the Holy Spirit as He followed the will of His Heavenly Father. Even when He took active steps to confront the Pharisees and money-changers in the temple His actions were influenced by His patience. This takes power from God to confront people who are self-righteousness, selfish and prideful with godly, loving patience. Paul shares how great the patience of Jesus was in dealing with him.

 

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I [Paul] am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.”

1 Timothy 1:15–16

 

Paul described such patience as “unlimited.” We too can have this patience as we respond to the Word of God, are filled with the Spirit of God and let the fruit of the Spirit  demonstrate our love for God and others.

 

Patience almost always involves waiting in some form or another, waiting for the Spirit to guide you in a situation, waiting for circumstances to change for the better, waiting for someone to change their actions and thoughts or waiting for your own attitude and perceptions to accommodate to what is taking place in your life.

 

“Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.”

James 5:7–8

 

Patience is manifesting wisdom in a heated or tense situation. This takes reliance upon the power of the Holy Spirit built upon a foundation of God’s Word. We can all muster up a certain amount of patience with our flesh, but it takes spiritually empowered patience from the fruit of the Spirit to deal with most heated confrontations we face in relationships.

 

“A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel.”

Proverbs 15:18

 

“A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly.”

Proverbs 14:29

 

Because ministry always involves other people, it requires great patience. Relationships are a source of magnificent blessing, but they can also be the source of much tension and conflict. Fulfilling the call to love others because of how God loved us is not always easy. This is where the fruit of the Spirit in the form of patience is so helpful as we relate and minister to others.

 

“Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage with great patience and careful instruction….But keep your head in all situations, endure hardship.”

2 Timothy 4:2, 5

 

“And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.”

1 Thessalonians 5:14

 

Another word used to describe patience is “longsuffering.”

 

“That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.”

Colossians 1:10-11

 

“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Ephesians 4:2

 

The patience of the Holy Spirit can be demonstrated in our lives as we let the Word instruct and guide us and as we are filled with the Holy Spirit. While the first three types of the fruit of the Spirit; love, joy, and peace can be very conceptual and abstract. The fourth fruit; patience is consistently needed each and every day as we go about the business of interacting with people and situations. We face schedules we can’t always accomplish. We deal with people that test our patience. We encounter obstacles in life that cause us stress and discomfort. All of these are situations the require us to seek the power of the Holy Spirit to live as Christ would, to be patient in all things and with all people.

 

Longsuffering can also mean “slow to become angry.” Of all the words for patience in the original language, this one is the most passive; it often described a gentle resignation to a situation or another person that is not likely to change. This same word is often used to describe God’s patience with us. This longsuffering or patience is found in, Exodus 34:6, Numbers 14:18, Nehemiah 9:17, Psalms 86:15, 103:8, 145:8, Joel 2:13, Jonah 4:2, Nahum 1:3. It is God’s natural ability to be patient and longsuffering with us and this reflects His love for us.

 

Since God can patiently wait for us, it is possible for us to be patient and longsuffering with each other, as well as to be patient in the midst of stressful uncomfortable situations. We can do this as we let the fruit of the Spirit, of which patience is a part, manifest itself in our lives. While patience can be passive in a sense, it’s also purposeful. It might be called “redemptive waiting.” We are waiting for the relationship or the situation to be redeemed by the Lord as we wait upon Him to use us, to change the situation, to change the other person, or even to change us. Patience is allowing God to work in ways that we can’t always foresee or understand. It can be hard, but it is always much easier if we rest in the power of the Holy Spirit and let His fruit manifest itself in our heart, mind and soul.

 

The fruit of patience which comes from the Holy Spirit is grounded on you being willing to be humble before the Lord. God will teach you how to be patient through His Word. Scripture is filled with examples of how patient people redeemed situations and changed the lives of others. It is also filled with examples of how impatient people were ruined and harmed others with their inability to be patient. Jesus serves as an example for us in how to live a life of patience with others and with circumstances. Many people, especially the apostle Peter, often put Jesus in situations that required great patience. Jesus never displayed unrighteous anger or impatience. He always dealt wisely and patiently with people, even when He had to confront them. The Holy Spirit will also work with us to develop the fruit of patience in our lives, but this requires us making time for Him. We must clear away the “busy noise” in our lives so that He can change us from the inside out. This requires a spiritual intimacy with Him. It includes a deep honesty and vulnerability with God so that as we are truthful with Him we grow closer to the Lord. Patience shown to others often comes as we become realistically patient with ourselves. We sometimes beat ourselves up because we are not growing spiritually as we think we should. God is the best judge of our spiritual growth and we must understand that spiritual maturity takes time to develop. Francis de Sales a Jesuit theologian stated, “Be patient with everyone, but above all with yourself.”

 

But a word of caution: Patience is not about allowing yourself to be a victim of abuse or enabling sinful behavior. Wisdom and patience always work together, to help us judge when and how to act in a dangerous situation. They will also work together to show us how and when to confront sin in the lives of others and ourselves.     

 

Colossians 3:12

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”

 

Remember, “The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it.” – Arnold Glasow