How to Be Patient in God
The Fruit of the Spirit: Patience
Are you leaning on God for His patience, or striving to create it on your own?
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
-Galatians 5:22-23
When I’m presented with the fruit of the spirit, I definitely don’t consider myself to have “mastered” any of these areas, and most days, I don’t feel that I even possess any of these attributes.
Some days I’m on my game and I feel that I have at least one of these attributes tuned in and figured out.
One attribute, though, is currently eluding me more than the others: patience.
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How to Be Patient in God
Have you ever heard another Christian warn not to pray for patience because God will turn every light red the next time you’re driving?
It’s a funny thought, but boy is it true. When I’m struggling with how to be patient in God, He gives me so many opportunities to be patient. He’s never turned a switch in me that has made me a patient person. Instead, He’s given me opportunities to practice patience in Him.
And that’s the difference.
Patience is found in Him.
When we want to be patient people, we’re typically looking to our own strength to make it happen, which only works for so long before we snap.
I can reply with a soft-spoken “we don’t hit each other” only so many times before I completely lose my cool and start yelling at my kids.
Or I can brush off being cut off by inconsiderate drivers only so many times before road rage kicks in and my head starts to tingle in anger and frustration at those crazy drivers who are for sure going to cause an accident, and I have kids in the car!
Instead of willing ourselves to just. be. patient. in these circumstances, we are instead being invited by God to find our patience in Him.
We can find a wonderful example of this type of patience through the life of Joseph in Genesis 37-50.
After being sold into slavery by his brothers, Joseph finds himself in a place of power, in charge of Potiphar’s household, only to be falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife and thrown into prison.
While in prison, Joseph has the opportunity to interpret the dreams of Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker, and all he asks in exchange is for the cupbearer to remember him when he gets out of prison (Genesis 40:14).
The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.
-Genesis 40:23
After he’s forgotten by the cupbearer, Joseph has to wait in prison for another two full years (Genesis 41:1).
It’s unclear how many years total Joseph was wrongly imprisoned, but from the point of planting the seed to get out of prison, he has to wait two more years before the cupbearer mentions him to Pharaoh.
That’s a long time to wait for freedom.
During this time of waiting, the Lord blessed Joseph and his efforts.
The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph's charge, because the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed.
-Genesis 39:23
After he’s finally freed from prison, Joseph is entrusted by Pharaoh to create a plan to store enough food to get the people through an impending seven-year famine, and he is placed second-in-command under Pharaoh to lead all of Egypt (Genesis 41:35-44).
Instead of blaming God during his time of false imprisonment, Joseph was still faithful to God and used the gifts that God gave him to serve others. Because of this, Joseph was placed in a position of honor and able to serve even more people. He was even able to reunite his family and offer forgiveness to his brothers who had sold him into slavery.
God uses the bad for His good.
But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
-Genesis 50:19-21
Joseph was put in situations that required patience, and during the time, he still relied on God and still used the gifts that God had given him to serve others.
The same is true for us. When we are in situations that seem difficult or bad, we can be patient in God by trusting His plan, listening to Him in the moment, and using the gifts He’s given us to serve others.
Dear Lord, thank you for being you. We know that we can trust you in the waiting. We know that patience isn’t something that’s found within ourselves. Instead, it can only be found in You.
As we are put in situations that are difficult or bad, we pray for reminders of your goodness. Reminders that you are in control of the situation. And reminders that what was meant for evil will be used by you for good. Thank you for your goodness. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Patience is one of the fruits of the spirit, but it can only be found by being patient in God. When we trust Him with the situation we’re in, He will provide the patience we need. Praise Him for that.
Blessings Friend.
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