- Colossians 3:12-13 - Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
- Galatians 5:22-23 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
As our trust in God increases, our ability to wait for His answer and accept His will grows as well. The "fruit of the Spirit" includes patience. However, this does not mean that the Holy Spirit automatically places it into our lives. He is our faithful Teacher, giving us the strength to grow. Spiritual fruit ripens over time as we obey and surrender to God's will. Patience means waiting for God's timing, both regarding our desires and in the difficulties caused by others. This is the result of a deepening faith. The Holy Spirit calls us to see how God works in our life journey. Answers to prayer, unexpected blessings arising from difficult situations, and God turning bad into good — all these things strengthen our trust in Him. As our reliance on God grows, we become prepared to patiently await His solution and the outcome. In fact, realizing God's sovereignty plays a key role in developing patience. An important part of submitting to His rule is waiting for Him to do His work in His own time. Patience does not develop in us naturally. But the Holy Spirit gives us the strength to endure difficulties without complaining. Let us not forget that God only "delays" from a human perspective. From the perspective of eternity, He is always working in perfect timing.
Reflection
In what area of your life is it currently hardest for you to wait for God's timing, and how can you surrender that situation to His will today?
