This Sunday I will preach the 4th Sermon on the Fruit of the Spirit. This week: patience. We all wan
t it, all of our friends want us to have it more, we need it, and what does the Bible say? Does the Gospel tell us how to ‘get’ patience? Does Jesus promise us patience?
While I could share my draft with you here, I’m writing more because it seems like an easy series: preach on one word of the whole Bible. And, not even that word in its entirety throughout the Bible, just that word, as Paul meant it when he wrote the letter to the Galatians churches.
But there is so much more! There are anecdotal stories throughout the Bible, practical application in the Proverbs, prayer-patience learned through the Psalms as our prayer mentors, Jesus was patient and he required patience from those who hung out with Him all the time. Paul begins his definition by description of Love, the one we all know from weddings, with this line “Love is patient”.
10 years ago I might have tried to include all of this other stuff. No pauses, I would barely breathe while preaching, and there would be a lot of good information! But, preaching and the Good News are far more than that.
Matt Blazer's Blog 
your gift for writing God’s word to those who follow your ministry is unparalleled I so value your wisdom from the Holy Spirit love Dad
As I was reading through Genesis I was struck by Joseph’s patience. His refusal to sin landed him in prison for years. It certainly doesn’t seem like God is with him or blessing him. Yet God is with him, and does vindicate him, and bless him. Imagine if Pharaoh had asked the cupbearer about his dreams and the cupbearer responded “Yea I knew a guy in prison once who could interpret dreams, but he got out a while ago and I have no clue where he is now!”
I’ve been learning that there’s a huge connection between patience and faith/trust. I think you could almost define patience as maintaining trust despite contrary circumstances.
It’s been particularly hard as a parent, to fight the despairing thoughts of “my kid is never going to change.” To maintain trust that God is shaping her character in accordance with His promise, even when she seems like a little hell-spawn, can really challenge my patience.