Topic > Spiritual Growth > Fruit of the Spirit > Patience >
Discover biblical ways to cultivate patience
Whether it’s standing in line, waiting in the doctor’s office, or putting up with people who push our buttons, we have plenty of opportunities to develop patience. But it still seems to be the hardest fruit of the Spirit to grow! It’s an important fruit for spiritual health!
Learn To Wait On God
Cha Sa-soon, a 69-year-old Korean woman, finally received her driving license after 3 years of trying to pass the written test. She wanted the license so she could take her grandchildren to the zoo.
Difficult People
In the book God in the Dock, author C. S. Lewis describes the kind of people we have trouble getting along with. Selfishness, anger, jealousy, or other quirks often sabotage our relationship with them. We sometimes think, Life would be much easier if we didn’t have to contend with such difficult people.
Teaching By Example
While waiting for an eye examination, I was struck by a statement I saw in the optometrist’s office: “Eighty percent of everything children learn in their first 12 years is through their eyes.” I began thinking of all that children visually process through reading, television, film, events, surroundings, and observing the behavior of others, especially their families. On this Father’s Day, we often think about the powerful influence of a dad.
Discover how to experience God’s kind of patience in our daily life
Life has a way of pushing our buttons. People, pressures, and overwhelming priorities can really stretch our patience! We’re looking at Second Peter chapter one.
The Discipline Of Waiting
Waiting is hard. We wait in grocery lines, in traffic, in the doctor’s office. We twiddle our thumbs, stifle our yawns, and fret inwardly in frustration. On another level, we wait for a letter that doesn’t come, for a prodigal child to return, or for a spouse to change. We wait for a child we can hold in our arms. We wait for our heart’s desire.
For The Long Run
A 2006 survey of more than 1,000 adults discovered that most people take an average of 17 minutes to lose their patience while waiting in line. Also, most people lose their patience in only 9 minutes while on hold on the phone. Impatience is a common trait.
James wrote to a group of believers who were struggling with being patient for Jesus’ return (James 5:7).
God Waiting
During the Christmas season we wait. We wait in traffic. We wait in checkout lines to purchase gifts. We wait for family to arrive. We wait to gather around a table filled with our favorite foods. We wait to open presents lovingly chosen.
All of this waiting can be a reminder to Christians that Christmas is a celebration of waiting for something much more important than holiday traditions.
Wait On The Lord
With so many instantaneous forms of communication today, our impatience with hearing a reply from others is sometimes laughable. Someone I know sent an e-mail to his wife and then called her by cell phone because he couldn’t wait for a reply!
Sometimes we feel that God has let us down because He does not provide an immediate answer to a prayer. Often our attitude becomes, “Answer me speedily, O Lord; my spirit fails!” (Ps. 143:7).
I’m Invisible
My friend Jane said something at a work meeting and no one responded. So she repeated it and again no one responded; her co-workers just ignored her. She realized that her opinion didn’t matter much. She felt disregarded and invisible. You may know what that’s like as well.
What Does The Bible Say About Patience?
In a world that offers quick solutions and instant results, the timeless virtue of patience is all but forgotten. In this booklet, RBC Ministries staff Dean Ohlman shares insights from Scripture to help you recognize the important of patience as a godly attribute. Discover how you can faithfully move forward in difficult times with a good attitude—working and persevering toward a God-honoring end.
