After a thousand miles of flying today, I am sitting at the gate where they just announced another delay in my flight and I think I may be in need of some serious prayer. In Galatians I read that patience is one of the fruits of the Spirit. There were other fruits like kindness, goodness, and faithfulness. I have no problem with those fruits but my airline experiences have made me think I might be a little short on patience fruit.
I looked up patience in a Bible dictionary. This is what it said – of course I have added my comments.
“Patience is the ability to take a great deal of punishment from evil people (airline personnel? ) or circumstances (like delayed flights), without losing one’s temper, without becoming irritated and angry, or without taking vengeance (I think this has to do with jumping the counter and choking someone). It includes the capacity to bear pain (like the middle seat in row thirty five), or trials (like no food), without complaint, the ability to forbear under severe provocation (like a TSA pat down), and the self-control which keeps one from acting rashly (like taking off all ones clothes and throwing a tantrum), even though suffering opposition or adversity (like being handcuffed and led to a small interrogation room).
So as I sit here I realize I desperately need more of the patience fruit. What I am facing today is nothing compared to the trials so many are facing.
Good leaders, good parents, good neighbors, and good friends are people of patience. Pray for me…….. I want to be better. I need some fruit.
Am I the only one who needs more patience?
Comments
I need a whole bush of patience fruit. Noah had a stomach bug over the weekend. He missed two days of school, Friday and Monday. Both days I had to reschedule my whole day to be home with my son who was defying the laws of gravity with his stomach… what went down had to come up. He didn’t have a fever at all, his energy was still pretty good and his appetite wasn’t too bad…meaning he didn’t want sick people food, he wanted colorful food. And when the gravity thing didn’t work, he wanted to show me the colors… I didn’t like that. My fruit of the spirit vaporized right along with the steam of the coffee pot to the melodious tune of “Mom, mahm, maaahm, MAAAAHMMM COME HERE!” and when I finally got there he would smile at me, bat those totally unfair long dark lashes and say, “Just wanted you to know that I love… can I get up now?”
I left the room muttering under my breath…, “duct tape, I need duct tape.”
I have two boys — now 17 and 20. Sorry for laughing out loud but I’ve said the same thing at times under similar circumstances.
A little over seven (7) years ago, I asked God to help teach me patience. BIG MISTAKE! He has been giving me lessons for all of those years, and keeps on going, never missing an opportunity to teach me it! **SIGH** I think I will need an entire forest of “Patience Fruit”, at least! :-\
Ken, I’ve never read that definition of patience before. I like it — I especially enjoy your edits. smile. We could all use more fruit. I love my kids and yet there are days I firmly believe they live for no reason other than to drive me crazy. Usually though, I find I’m impatient with myself more than anything else most days. Great thoughts.
Good Morning Ken,
Isn’t it amazing how when we pray for certain things, like patience, God allows all these things to happen so we can become all He would have us to be. He answers our prayers in the way that makes us stronger. I have prayed for things in my life, thinking God would just grant my request, not realizing I had to learn it the hard way. God is so good, He teaches us as we go alone. I am praying for you this morning. Airlines can be so frustrating.
In the movie, Evan Almighty, there is a line that reminded me of what you said. Morgan Freeman said something like, “If we pray for patience, do you think God just makes us patient, or does he provide opportunities for us to learn patience?” I thought that was very thought-provoking.
No need to apologize for laughing! I have 3 older sons as well, two are 21 and one is 19… If I had invested in duct tape then I could probably retire now! I’ve often wondered if there are any boarding schools for 40-something mommies? On some days a nice rocking chair in soft padded room will do. I know that only 10 or so more years and he will be good to go, just like his brothers. The difference is that with his brothers I had help, they had their father to look up to literally and figuratively. Daddy died last year and this little dude is almost as tall as I am… It’s gonna be a long 10 years. I think I’ll buy a whole case… maybe the camouflage stuff so he’ll blend in….. 😀
I’ll be praying for the Holy Spirit to help both of us Bro.
Thanks Anthony. Those prayers are appreciated.
I fight the battle with patience daily. Some days I win, some – never mind.
I hear ya!
A few verses that come to my mind when I go thru these times; Joshua 1:9, Ephesians 6:10, & Phillipians 4:13
Great scriptures! Thank you.
Be careful of what you ask for…The only way to get the immunization strength of Patience is to be innoculated with the many sharp needles of trials and suffering. 🙂
I think my problem is expectations. I really expect the people going 50 in the fast lane to move over to the slower lane when they are not passing anyone. I think the clerk at the store should pay as much attention to my order as she does to what the cute clerk’s helper is doing two registers over. And for some reason, I expect when I travel for my 50th birthday celebration in Ireland to NOT get stuck overnight in Chicago because the Dublin flight couldn’t wait 15 minutes for the people arriving from the West coast through bad weather. What I don’t understand is why I continue to expect (demand?) things that are not really reasonably going to happen? Why can’t I accept life the way it happens? Somehow I always blame Eve. Ken, you should do a piece on how it’s always Adam and Eve’s fault. Another fruit story.
Eve blamed Adam! Guess I just have to accept responsibility and move forward. I really enjoyed your comment.
No, Ken, you are by no means the only one who needs patience. I definitely do also, but am sometimes afraid to ask for it.
I have discovered, as have many others, that when we pray for something that will improve our characters, God gives us opportunities to develop the characteristic rather than simply giving us the character trait we’re asking for.
My advice is not to pray for patience when you are planning to travel by airline. If you do, believe me, you’ll be given ample opportunity to develop it (perhaps making your parenthetical comments above come true).
God bless
Very good advice. Do you suppose I should avoid praying for revenge too??? (-; Thank you for the comment. I will continue to seek the patience fruit.
Ken,
The humble transparency in this article is beyond encouraging…knowing that we are not alone in our struggle to be a better version of our self – more and more exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit. There is hope – or not…I am hoping there is!
🙂
Bless you
David
No, Ken, I think we ALL need some patience fruit occasionally and some need a double-dose.
I know I need it. In the past year and a half, my daughter has strayed away from God and from us and I have been praying for her every day, several times a day. I pray that God will bring her back to us, which He has somewhat in the past couple of weeks, and that she will come back to Him. It is so hard watching someone you love do something you know they will regret and not being able to do anything about it. I have to have patience and realize that one day, hopefully, she will see what she has done and come back. It is very hard at times though. I have to realize and remember this is up to her and God and not on my schedule.
Thanks for all your words of encouragement and the great work you do. You are truly an inspiration to me.
Susan