Be Fruitful - Patience

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"But the fruit of the Spirit is . . . patience . . ." - Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB)

     "Don't pray for patience." I have heard that expression many times throughout the years. "If you pray for patience, God will give you something to develop patience within you." So, many believers through the years have forgone asking God for patience, thinking that will somehow bring His wrath on their lives like Job encountered. Can we dismiss this argument? All of us need patience.
     Patience is fourth in the list, and is the first that appears to be directed outwardly toward those around us. The Greek word paints an interesting picture for us, "A person who has power to avenge himself, yet restrains from the exercise of this power."** We have all "lost our patience" when working on some task. However, patience is not related to task, jobs, or things; self-control might be more appropriately used. Patience is related to people. (Now you see why we probably need to pray for patience.) Patience involved having the ability to "stick it to someone", but yet choosing not to. That sounds an awful lost like forgiveness, does it not? Actually, I believe that patience and forgiveness are very closely related. In the parable of the servants in Matthew 18, the servant who owed his master much fell on his face and said, "Have patience with me, and I will repay you everything.” (v.26) If the two, patience and forgiveness, are related, then perhaps the key to having patience towards others is forgiveness. If we want more patience in our dealings with others, then we need to show more forgiveness towards others. 
     Just like the others in the list, patience is a by-product, evidence, or fruit of the Spirit of God in our lives. You can try to show patience to others in your own willpower, but your success will only be sporadic. Patience reveals itself in the lives of believers when they realize just how much God has been patient with them. Forgive the trespasses of others, and you will find patience becoming more prominent in your life. 


 **Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible

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