Day Nine: Give Patience

Give … Patience

There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us. Ro 5:3
… and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. Ro 5:4

Oh, that patience could be sprinkled on us from above like fairy dust. How many of us have prayed for patience just to have the very circumstance we prayed about get worse. Our frustration comes from a misunderstanding of how patience comes and grows.

Galatians 5:22 identifies patience as a fruit of the Spirit. In the natural, fruit is an outgrowth of a tree; the fruit is not placed on the tree like a Christmas decoration– it is the direct result of the nature of the tree. An apple tree grows apples, an orange tree-oranges and so on. And if the tree is has a disease or needs to be pruned, the quality of the fruit will be affected, perhaps completely limiting the tress’ ability to produce anything.

As we develop our relationship with God, our old natures are “pruned” away, allowing for the Spirit within us room to produce not only patience, but all the other gifts of the Spirit. So what does it mean to “give” patience? It is the giving of second chances. It is the timelessness of gracious waiting. It is the calm of Christ within someone’s storm.

Father-God, your never-ending patience inspires and propels me to extend a patient hand to an impatient world. May this fruit in me be pleasing to the eye and nourishing to the heart.