Your Daily Slice

SHEVAT 4

The Fruit of Patience

 

“But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is … PATIENCE”  (Gal 5:22 AMPC, emphasis mine)

 

Many versions of the Scriptures translate the Greek word used here (makrothumia, Strong’s G3115), in this verse as ‘longsuffering’; regardless of which word is used, one would need ‘patience’ to be able to stand for very long in a place of suffering.  The original word that has been translated includes the sense of patience while being provoked, an extreme tolerance, and being slow to rise to anger.  Apply all of that to our Elohim’s attitude towards us!  Repeatedly, we have provoked and angered Him with our careless and frivolous attitude concerning the kadosh, holy things of Yahweh, even to treating lightly the cost of our redemption, deliverance, and salvation.  Longsuffering and patient?  Praise Yahweh that He is!

 

“יהוה is not slow in regard to the promise, as some count slowness, but is PATIENT TOWARD US, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2Pet 3:9, emphasis mine)

 

As our Creator perseveres in developing the fruit of patience within us, we will eventually find – to our amazement - that those situations, circumstances, and yes, even the people that used to irritate, annoy, frustrate, aggravate, offend, and torment us will have less and less power to do so.  The more we can yield to our ultimate Gardener, the less we will find ourselves murmuring, whining, and complaining about those inevitable ‘tests’ that produce the fruit of patience in us.  The key is in our yieldedness.

 

“But let patience have its perfective work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” (Jam 1:4 HRB, emphasis mine)

 

“Tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope." That is the order. You cannot put patience and experience into a parenthesis, and, omitting them, bring hope out of tribulation.” (Alexander MacLaren, 1826-1910)

 

Help us, YAH, to remember that You are the Vine, and we are the branches, and that our lives must remain in You.  Only Your life in us will accomplish the fruit of patience; may we always be pliable, as the clay in the Potter’s hands.  In the Name of Yeshua HaMassiach, our Redeemer!

 

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