Patience my Friend

Dear friend, We have all probably had to exercise patience longer than we thought we should’ve. Whether it was standing in a grocery store line or sitting in deadlocked bumper to bumper traffic. Or maybe that infamous wait at the doctor’s office and it seems like you’re the only one there yet you hadn’t been called to the back! How about waiting for someone to give you an answer to a question you asked weeks ago. Oh, I know how about waiting on text message intensely anticipating the conversation while looking at the writing bubble in messages on your iPhone. The list of impatient moments could go on and on! Impatience can creep up on you in the most insignificant situations yet it still yields the same result. We get frustrated and at times even anxious because it hasn’t happened quick enough. The reality is we are always operating patience! (Just sometimes not as much as we need to...) Patience is defined as the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset. Many times we can identify the delay, trouble, or suffering but then our attitude shifts. To remedy this counter productive behavior of impatience we must set our focus on the Eternal Greater One who is much more than any temporal issue that we face. We must focus on the positive and look beyond the moment to the goal that will be accomplished after we endure and persevere in patience! And we cannot do this on our own. We must have the help of the Holy Spirit! But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Galatians 5:22-23 The Holy Spirit dwells within us, and since He does the fruit of the Spirit will manifest on the outside. The fruit can be seen in every thought, word, and action! Today be at rest, slow down and be patient with yourself and others. Become sensitive to Him by spending more time in His Word and surrender to His voice! And watch the transformation from impatience and irritation shift to patience and peace! Remember the fruit of the Spirit are not emotions, they are Kingdom attributes that manifest because of His Spirit! No need to rush, Jess