1 - Introduction - Living like a real Christian PATIENCE | Página 2

Hi everyone
The subject for this week’s devotionals revolves around the PATIENCE aspect of the Fruit of
the Spirit (Galatians5)
By way of introduction, let me begin by saying this: when considering the subject of patience,
my temptation was to speak to you on the subject of being long-suffering in issues like
standing in queues or driving in traffic. But the more I studied the subject of patience I realised
that there is just so much more.
The Oxford Dictionary definition of patience highlights two aspects, both of them Biblically
legitimate. The first aspect speaks of being able to wait a long period of time without getting
angry. The second aspect speaks of being able to bear pain or trouble over a prolonged period
of time. The Bible is full of examples of people who evidenced both forms of patience.
A great example of the first would be that of King David who, even though anointed to be king
as a child, waited patiently many years before he actually took upon himself the kingship of
Israel. During those years there were many times where he could have taken the initiative and
do something that would have sped up his rise to the throne, but he chose never to do that.
Insteadhe subjected himself to the perfect plan of God.
A great example of the second aspect of patience (being able to bear pain and trouble) would
be seen in the life of our hero, Job, who despite painful circumstances and emotional pressure
was able to be patient to the end as he waited for the fulfilled promise of God.
There are also some great examples of impatience. Remember Abraham, when God called him
to leave where he was and to go to a place that God would show him. At the same time he
was promised by God that he would be the father of a great nation. At this point in his life
Abraham was seventy-fiveyears old and, after waiting impatiently for ten years, Abraham and
Sarah decided to help God fulfil that which He had promised. Abraham fathered a child
through Hagar, Sarah’s maidservant and when Ishmael was born, Abraham prided himself that
he was the son of the promise. God, however, said to him that he would make a great nation
of Ishmael, but he was not the promised one. When Abraham was ninety-nine years old, God
renewed his covenant with him and by the time Abraham was one hundred years old God had
provided him with Isaac, the legitimate first-born son. Overall Abraham waited twenty-five
years for God’s promise to be fulfilled. His impatience in the process caused him much pain for
the future.
Although God is able to answer our prayers immediately, He very often chooses not to and
sometimes leaves us, in a way, hanging in the air. Sometimes God leads us into a place of
darkness where we are challenged and tested at every point and where our prayers don’t
seem to make much difference, but my thesis for this week is THAT GOD DOES HIS BEST
WORK IN THE DARK.