Virtual Church Consulting

Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

The fourth “Fruit of the Spirit” listed is patience. Patience is allowing God to do what He says He is going to do. We often say things like “patience is a virtue” and “good things come to those who wait”. While we might say those things, we don’t usually live like we really believe it. We tend to be pretty impatient with people and with things that seem to keep us from having what we want when we want it.

We might think impatience is a quaint little quirk in our character, but its just another indicator that we are out of step with the Spirit.

We need to understand that learning to wait is part of God’s plan. God is not on “human standard time”. He is eternal and He is not in a hurry. God wants the fruit of patience to be developed in our lives. Patience is so helpful in realizing that the world does not revolve around us. It is His story.

James 5:7-8 (NIV)
7 Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.

Depend on the Holy Spirit to produce this fruit in your life, by yielding the control of your daily life and each situation to Him, allowing Him to be patient through you.

Colossians 1:10-11 (NIV)
10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully

So, during this week, let’s keep our eyes open for opportunities to grow – not only in love, joy and peace, but also in patience!

Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.

Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

In our study on the “Fruit of the Spirit” we have talked about love and joy. Today we get to add ‘peace’. The peace of God that Holy Spirit produces in us is amazing. It is so amazing that the Apostle Paul describes it as ‘transcending understanding’.

Philippians 4:7 (NIV)
7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Jesus gives us a description of the peace He wants us to know:

Matthew 6:25-33 (NIV)
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Paul, while in prison, writes about his experience of peace:

Philippians 4:11-13 (NIV)
11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Paul says he has leaned the secret of being content, of experiencing the peace of God. How? We are able to experience this peace as we trust in God and yield to Holy Spirit.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Trusting is simple. But it is by no means easy. When faced with the opportunity to make a choice between trusting God or trying to fix it in your own strength, hang on to this verse:

Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.

Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

As we continue our look at the Fruit of the Spirit, we come to the second on the list; ‘joy’. The word itself can mean happiness, gladness, or rejoicing, but there is so much more to it. I like to think of joy as the emotion of salvation.

1 Peter 1:8 (NIV)
8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,

People often confuse joy with happiness. Happy, from the word happenstance, is tied to circumstance. When our circumstances are just right, we will experience happiness. While happiness is good, joy is better. Joy is deeper. Joy is not dependent on circumstance. Joy comes from the Lord. It is a fruit of the Spirit.

We all go through times in our lives when we are facing some very difficult situations. Financial crisis, illness, loss, broken relationships, hurricanes, or other natural disaster; but we can still have joy.

James 1:2 (NIV)
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

That verse is one of those verses that should make you pause and ask ‘really’? Trials should be considered pure joy? We need to get some context to try and understand what James is saying.

James 1:2-4 (NIV)
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

The idea is that when we are going through trials, we need to remember that we are New Creation people and that we have an unswerving hope to hold onto. As we face trials, and as Holy Spirit leads and guides and helps us through them, we learn that we can always trust God. We know that these trials are temporary. There is a time coming when death will not exist and there will be no more pain or tears or hurt. We can lean into our hope, draw on His promise and experience this joy that the Spirit is producing regardless of the current situation and circumstances. Continue to yield to Holy Spirit as He develops His fruit in you!

Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.