Dear Family and Friends,

We’re spending this week and next with all three of our grandchildren.

Would you like to know how it’s going?

I’m convinced that they all have serious hearing loss. On top of that, nothing in our normally orderly home remains where it’s supposed to be.

But I find the noise and mess to be blessings, all of it! The joy from this week will forever live in our hearts – as long as we can remain patient.

As we all know, patience is an attribute of the fruit of the Spirit.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”  ‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The Greek word translated into patience (makrothumia) means long-suffering or slowness in avenging wrongs. 

In lay terms, patience is suffering through delayed gratification, like when we wait on the Lord for something prayed for.

Patience also means suppressing our anger and want for revenge. To suffer and take it rather than lashing out.

Needless to say, makrothumia is not the way we normally think of being patient.

Patience is more than putting up with noisy grandkids or long waits at baggage claim.

King David was patient while he waited years after being promised to be made king. And again when he chose to not kill Saul when he twice had the chance.

Most of us usually gloss over this attribute as we feel we’re pretty patient.

We tell ourselves: I don’t lose my cool. I don’t strike back. Or scream obscenities. I’m pretty good at sitting and waiting on the Lord and others.

But how many of us look patient on the outside, but on the inside we’re actually a mess of emotions – counting to ten and trying to hold it all in?

Holding back from something we really want is hard. And there’s a risk our emotions will leak out.

We may not lash out but perhaps we do a grown up version of our high school days. In our minds we give the person the stink eye, or ice him out, or talk stink behind his back.

And in those times when God has yet to respond, we end up feeling sorry for ourselves and giving up on the wait. Or worse – we give up on God.

But can we be encouraged that patience is an attribute of the fruit of the Spirit. A trait we receive to help us on this side of Heaven.

Patience, like the other attributes of the fruit, grows as our trust in the Lord grows.

And like the edible fruits of this earth, patience does not grow overnight. It will take time. And we may go through trials.

“Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”  ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭7‬,11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

But if we trust in the Lord and submit to His will – if we trust that He will provide for our needs or serve justice where due – our patience will grow.

And what can we expect when our patience grows to maturity?

One day something beautiful will bloom out of our patience – Righteousness and Peace.

Allow me to close with these words of David, words that one day will be ours as well.

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.”  ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭40‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

In love always,