Bringing Forth Fruit With Patience

Posted on 07/23/2012 by goodnewsfromadistantland — Leave a comment

fruits Scripture tells us that those who hear, and keep, the Word of God are wise, and they will bring forth fruit with patience (Matthew 7:24a; Luke 8:15).

I desire to bring forth the fruit that Father is looking for! … but the Holy Spirit reminds me often:

“You have need of patience!”

Do you get this reminder too?

Patience is one of the ‘Fruits of the Spirit’ (Galatians 5:22-23). Patience is a fruit that seems to take months, even years, to ripen. Real patience is not ‘instantly’ acquired.

Patience Is Highly Desirable!

Patience is a virtue that is under-rated. Once a person begins to make a determined decision to practice patience, it begins to be clear that patience is a virtue that is highly desirable! I love it whenever I actually practice patience! I have discovered great rewards for being patient, as we shall see below.

What are we doing when we practice patience?

First of all, patience is waiting. Waiting is being patient! You cannot have one without the other.

The Scriptures exhort us to ‘wait patiently‘ and to ‘patiently wait‘ (Psalms 37:7; Romans 8:25).

Another word for patience is long-suffering. This aptly describes what I go through whenever I try to patiently wait. I experience an anguish that seems almost unbearable; in other words, suffering – l-o-n-g.

However, my little bouts with long-suffering are nothing compared to the ‘great cloud of witnesses’ and what they patiently endured! The faith-filled ‘strangers and pilgrims’ of Hebrews chapter 11, patiently waited, enduring for years to see Father’s Words fulfilled.

How Can We Learn To Be Patient?

Patience is essential if we desire to mature and grow in our faith! But is it possible to learn patience in this age of technology, with instant gratification and access to nearly anything?

People of long-ago had a slower pace of living, and everything took much longer to be accomplished. Patience was a normal part of life. But in today’s fast-paced world, can we cultivate this vital, and very-necessary, Fruit of the Spirit?

Yes.

But there are two things we need to understand.

First 1), if we are Born-Again, united to Father God through His Son, Yahushua Messiah [the Hebrew name for Jesus Christ], and second 2) if we have received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, then the Fruits of the Spirit will begin to be very evident in our lives. Our relationship with Yahushua Messiah is greatly enriched through the Holy Spirit Baptism, thereby we gain a greater ability to exhibit the Fruits of the Spirit.

[If you are not sure if you have received the Holy Spirit Baptism, see: Have You Received the Holy Spirit Since You Believed?]

Exhibiting the Fruits of the Spirit can be a battle between our heart’s desire to ‘walk in the Spirit,’ and the fleshly desires and affections of our selfish, carnal nature. Our carnal ‘old man,’ many times, wants to rise up and claim its ‘rights.’

However, by the enabling grace and mercy of our Heavenly Father, the Holy Spirit can indwell us, through the Holy Spirit Baptism. The power we receive through the baptism in the Holy Spirit is His enabling grace upon us to help us in possessing His Fruit of the Spirit. (Acts 1:8a)

Four Helpful Clues

There are a few clues that I have discovered [with the Holy Spirit’s help!], that can be helpful in cultivating this wonderful Fruit of the Spirit called patience. Here are four clues:

1. Fret Not

One clue is to recognize and remember the opposite of patience:

Rest in Yahuwah [the LORD], and wait patiently for him: fret not yourself …. (Psalms 37:7)

As this verse shows us, fretting is the opposite of patience.

Do you find yourself fretting or being agitated? Are you easily irritated, frustrated, or impulsive? These things are evidence of impatience, or a hastiness of spirit, and such behaviours result in many troubles (Proverbs 14:29). These kind of emotions and feelings are warning signals that we are wounding, or plucking off, the precious Fruit of the Spirit — patience.

Fretting-type emotions are a normal part of life. We live in a fallen world, so impatience will happen. We all deal with fretting, anger, and irritations. Yet, if we desire to grow up, mature, and be pleasing to Yahuwah Elohim [the Hebrew name for the LORD God], then we will recognize that our impatience does not solve our problems!

Instead, we need to begin asking Father’s help to be swift to hear, slow to speak, s-l-o-w to wrath (James 1: 19).

To mature and cultivate patience, it is helpful to remember the similar words for patience —

waiting, long-suffering, delay, diligence, endurance, cautious, forbearance, calmness, fortitude, perseverance.

We must seek Father’s grace and mercy to make these qualities a part of our lives. I especially like that word fortitude. It means ‘strength of mind that enables one to endure adversity with courage.’ That inspires me to have a resolute determination to patiently do what is right and excellent!

2. The Rewards

A great clue for learning to be patient is knowing, holding tightly to, and expecting to receive, the outstanding REWARDS for patience:

It is through patiently waiting on Yahuwah that He hears our cry. Psalms 40:1
It is through patience that we gain in understanding. Proverbs 14:29
It is through patience and faith that we inherit the promises. Hebrews 6:12
It is through patience that we grow, become mature, and lack nothing. James 1:4
It is through patience that we wait for the redemption of our bodies. Romans 8:23-25
It is through patience that we do Father’s will. Hebrews 10:35,36
It is through patience that we learn to keep Father’s commandments, as well as obtain the faith of Yahushua. Revelations 14:12

Notice these wonderful rewards! I believe there is always a reward for being patient! Even ‘waiting-in-line’ yields the reward of finally being ‘first-in-line!’

When I am truly patient — when I wait on Yahuwah [the LORD] for His direction or intervention, He always blesses me. When I patiently wait on His guidance, that alone is a victory for me, because I am truly ‘walking in the Spirit!’ As a result, I naturally have a sense of expectancy, looking for the reward of Father showing Himself strong on my behalf! (2Chronicles 16:9)

3. The Wisdom of ‘Instruction’

Being patient perhaps comes more easily with age. However, if we are wise, and willing to be instructed, then patience can be cultivated in our youth as well.

A major clue for those desiring to cultivate patience is practicing the wisdom of being willing to be instructed. Everyone needs to be open to instruction! [Hint: There is a precious amount of wisdom/instruction to be gleaned from trustworthy elders (Job 12:12).]

One who wants to learn patience will recognize the wisdom of receiving instruction! This is an excellent characteristic:

Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. (Proverbs 8:33)

Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser. (Proverbs 9:9)

Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter end. (Proverbs 19:20)

These verses teach us that it takes wisdom to receive instruction. Yet, receiving instruction requires a patience of spirit. Being patient of spirit means we will begin to slow down, be quiet, calm down, stop talking, listen, and receive the instruction that Yahuwah is trying to give us.

Simply being quiet is a huge step in the right direction!

As we saw in Trusting In Yahuwah With All Your Heart, trusting Yahuwah begins with a willingness to not rely on our own understanding (see Proverbs 3). That in itself, requires that we begin to learn to be patient of spirit, be quiet, be teachable and willing to listen, and willing to receive instruction.

4. Hide Yahuwah’s Word in Our Heart

One more clue in learning patience is to hide Yahuwah’s Word in our heart. When we do this, we will have the Holy Spirit’s encouragement springing up within us in our moments of need for patience:

“A soft answer turns away wrath” (Proverbs 15:1)
“He that is slow to anger appeases strife” (Proverbs 15:18)
“He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty” (Proverbs 16:32)
“The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit” (Ecclesiastes 7:8)
“The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God” (James 1:20)
“Love endures all things” (1Corinthians 13:7)
“Endure hardness, as a good soldier of Yahushua Messiah” (2Timothy 2:3)
“Endure as seeing Him Who is invisible” (Hebrews 11:27)
“Endure chastening, for it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness” (Hebrews 12: 7,11)

Storing the above Scripture verses in our heart will nourish us at just the right moment!

“The patient man prays readily for his enemies; forgives offenses from his heart; does not hesitate to ask pardon of others; and is more easily moved to pity than to anger.” – Thomas a Kempis

“There is no love of God without patience, and no patience without lowliness and sweetness of spirit.” – John Wesley

We all need Father’s help to be more patient. So let us ask for His help to grow in patience! And let us remember — there are rewards for being patient!

Thank You Father, for Your Holy Spirit’s still, small voice, encouraging us and reminding us that we have need of patience! Help us grow stronger in being patient of spirit, and more willing to wait patiently for Your guidance and intervention on our behalf. In the name of Your Son, my Saviour, Yahushua Messiah, I pray. Amen.

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Please see the companion post: Am I Waiting Patiently or Seeking My Own Solution

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