Patience

Another name for Patience is ‘long-suffering’, an old English word which is more picturesque than ‘patience’. This is the first of the three ‘grapes’ under the category of ‘Action’, found in our ‘Fruit of the Spirit’. These three action words are ‘patience, kindness; and goodness’, and are ways of reaching outward to others.

Patience is the will to endure and put up with others without complaining. Patience also is a quality of God, which we can appreciate, as He has been so patient with us. An example of Jesus patience with His disciples would be as He tried to get them to understand ‘faith’. He never gave up even when it seemed they just didn’t ‘get it’.

Romans 15:5 says: "Now may the God who gives the power of patient endurance…" So we know that our power to have patience comes from God, through the Holy Spirit. Romans 5:3 Paul says that hardship produces patience; and in 12:12 he says to be steadfast and patient in suffering.

In James 1:4 it states "let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." We will receive patience when we rely on God alone. Even Paul had to learn this when he reached the end of his endurance with his ‘thorn’. God told him that His (God’s) Grace was sufficient. We need no one else but God through His Holy Spirit, and when we reach the point of relying entirely on Him, patience comes.

"And he said unto me, My Grace is sufficient for thee;
for my strength is made perfect in weakness."
(II Corinthians 12:9)