And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. Acts 16:23-26
This is one of the examples I think of when I think of the fruit of patience listed in Galatians 5:22-23. This fruit of the Holy Spirit is best translated “long suffering” which really means being able to bear wrongs and injury for things that you did not deserve while being innocent for a long period of time. This is much more than just being able to ‘wait patiently’. This fruit is the supernatural ability to trust God in the hardest places of suffering and pain. I’m pretty sure most of you can think of other scriptural examples of this fruit. Obviously Jesus displayed this fruit in the most extreme ways.
I’ve listened to several other testimonies that also have demonstrated this supernatural fruit of patience. First realize that this fruit has all of the other fruit within it that is listed after it in the Galatians verses. It is a ‘mature’ fruit of the Spirit, mostly displayed through mature followers of Christ in the most difficult of circumstances. How do you react in those kinds of circumstances? Do you have testimonies of trusting Jesus when there seemed to be no way out?
Most of us have difficulty just waiting for short periods of time. Impatience is a ‘child-like’ reaction. What is your track record with patience? Who are you most likely patient with? Your family? Your spouse? Your friends? What about the retail clerk, or front desk person? What about those that treat you will little or no respect? What about those who actually inflict harm upon you? Can you see the difficulty? This is WHY they are attributes of GOD (Holy Spirit)!
Do you have patience and trust in God when you are financially in an impossible spot? Are you able to hear His instructions in those circumstances of what you need to do? What about when you are REALLY sick? What about when you employer keeps unjustly passing you over for others who have done less than you? Do you trust God then? Do you have patience trusting God or do you just grumble and whine?
This fruit of long suffering has the ability to praise GOD in the very midst of the very worst trials, and pain. Again, this is why I call it supernatural because it certainly isn’t a human trait. This fruit must be birthed, guided, and tested within you step by step by the Holy Spirit Himself. This fruit just doesn’t show up – it must be grown within you. So if you are facing a small trial today that requires His patience … maybe remember this devotional and praise God. Why praise Him? Isn’t He worth it … no matter the circumstance happening to you? Focus on the hope He has for you. Focus on Him when you are in that place of severe trial.
Praise Him!