Anticipation is Making Me Wait

by Jon Biron
December 6, 2019

Let’s begin with Galatians 5:22, the “fruits of the spirit” passage –

“But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience ( long-suffering in KJV ), kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

If asked which of those fruits is the greatest, then I suspect that many people would say “Love”. Love is first on the list. However, I suggest that the greatest fruit of the spirit is “patience”. Why? Because without patience, none of the other fruits seem truly possible – even love. (maybe especially love)

My prayers from childhood until now have always included two big requests from The Lord – wisdom and patience. I don’t think that I have received noticeable amounts of either, but the one I am truly getting impatient about is patience. If you are anything like me, then you are tired of waiting for The Lord to return. Our world is languishing from our lack of spiritual fruits, and we really need God – here, now, doing something for Christ’s sake. Advent serves to remind me of my need for patience, and that The Lord has unforeseen ways and means and times for coming.

As I was thinking about that, I recalled another passage, 2 Peter 3:9 –

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

OK, now that is a sobering sentence. Who am I to be impatient with The Lord after all the ways and circumstances in which The Lord has been patient with me?

Prayer: O Lord, help us to believe that you will come again indeed because you came before. Help us to turn our impatient waiting into patient anticipation of your promise.