So if you have begun to develop your self control with the help of the Holy Spirit, and working on your gentleness, while allowing the Holy Spirit to impart His faithfulness into you, and following His instructions on the acts of goodness He has given you to complete, all the while allowing Him to change your heart with kindness, then….. you’re ready for the next challenging step of …His fruit of patience.
The fruit isn’t exactly what we usually think of when we think of patience. It’s more, a whole LOT more… which is what I’ve become to expect now after going through these in depth with the Holy Spirit guiding me with His understanding.
(Strongs #3115 makrothymia). Patient endurance, to bear long with the frailties, offenses, injuries, and provocation of others, without murmuring, repining, or resentment. Waiting the sufficient time before expressing anger, this avoids the premature use of force (retribution) that rises out of improper anger (a personal reaction). This fruit embraces steadfastness and staying power. If in English we had an adjective “long tempered” as a counterpart to “short tempered” then this fruit could be called the quality of being “long tempered” … which is a quality of God.
*whew* That definition is way bigger than just ‘waiting’. After learning that … I thought that this is way BEYOND human capabilities. To which the Holy Spirit replied instantly in my mind, “Exactly. It’s MY fruit and characteristic which I want to place in you.”
We see this fruit being displayed by Jesus throughout the gospels. For further in-depth study on the subject of this fruit here are some scriptures using ‘makrothymia’.
Romans 9:22, 2:4
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
2 Corinthians 6:4-6
Ephesians 4:1-2
Colossians 1:11, 3:12-13
1 Timothy 1:16
2 Timothy 3:10, 4:2
Hebrews 6:12
James 5:10
The law of sowing and reaping is everywhere around us. For we will always reap more of what we sow. If we dig for ‘spiritual treasure’, we shall we receive revelation from Him. Have the fortitude to go after greater depths with Him.
This fruit of patience is grown in us by walking WITH HIM through the challenges sent our way that will ‘test’ this fruit. And a failing of a test is NOT the end, it only means you get to take it again. Failing with the right heart attitude and getting up to try again will only help increase the fruit of patience in you, by the Holy Spirit.