One of the most elusive spiritual fruits for me has been patience. It's one of the easiest topics to discuss and one of the most difficult to put into action. Yet I think it's one of the most important. Time and time again in scripture, we find people making grave mistakes simply because they were impatient. We can all name situations where patience would have saved us a load of heartache and/or stress.
Today, I had somewhat of an epiphany in regards to patience. More specifically, I felt like I understood the importance of doing things God's way and in God's time. In Exodus 32, we see a perfect biblical example of impatience and what it cost people. When Moses had climbed Mount Sinai to speak with God, the rest of the Israelites felt like God had abandoned them. They asked Aaron to make them an idol to lead them. Instead of waiting on God, they turned to a golden calf. In the end, the incident cost 3,000 lives — more people than were killed in the 9/11 attacks.
Many of our "golden calves" have resulted in any number of things — bad relationships, addictions or heavy debt. I often wonder what the cost of giving into my impatience would have — or has — cost me. Thankfully, God has spared me from many of the fruits of my stupidity and impulsiveness. I need to repent of this attitude.
When we choose to do things our way, the enemy can take full advantage of that. We lose the comfort, security and grace that God offers us. In the end, we run back to God full of scars and frustrations. What we need is a dose of Galatians 5:22-23, " But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." I'll be praying tonight for a stronger connection to the Spirit.
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