Colossians 3:12 “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience“.
Patience is a fruit, not a spiritual gift. A fruit on a fruit tree does not appear overnight. It buds, blossoms then produces tender fruits. The young delicate fruit has to develop and ripen into a succulent fruit. Ripening of the fruit takes time. Similarly, patience is a fruit that develops over a long period of time. The buds turn into tender fruits and then grow and ripen to become the juicy fruits of patience.
A spiritual gift on the other hand is like the gift on the Christmas tree. Christmas trees do not produce gifts. Wrapped gifts are hung on the Christmas tree. Similarly, we can never earn or yield spiritual gifts. It is given by our Father in Heaven according to our needs and our calling. Not so with the fruit of the spirit such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. While fruits are developed, gifts are received.
Patience is not tolerance of disappointment, discouragement or disparagement. “Tolerance” will teach us to bite our tongue and endure the pain. Patience is not so. Patience is a garment we choose to wear. Forced patience is tolerance but the choice to put on the garment of patience will mature us into godliness. Patience is choosing not to retaliate in anger, choosing to give a soft answer for a harsh treatment, choosing not to pick a fight but to wait for the appropriate time to reason out. Patience is the spiritual discipline of putting on the garment of patience and choosing not to judge, not to condemn and not to become moody or irritated but choosing joy instead of resentment.
Put on Patience:
1. Irate: It is easy to get agitated but patience chooses not to stir-up strife or make sassy comments. Patience chooses godly silence not fiendish coldness.
2. Irritate: Patience does not provoke and irritate but rather chooses a soft answer.
3. Irrational: Patience is not one-sided or irrational. Patience will teach us to apologize and reconcile and not to remain cold and moody.
Patience is a virtue that must be developed. Put on patience.
Prayer: Dearest Lord Jesus, give me the quickness to put on patience before I react in anger or fury. Amen.
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