The Fruit of Long Patience

Well, we are continuing in our series on the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit series came about not necessarily with intention, but I did give a message on love. And then it was, I don't know if it was God-inspired or just seemed logical to move on from there. And so, we do continue with that today. With the title, The Fruit of Long Patience. That'll be the title of our message today, The Fruit of Long Patience. And I invite you to open your Bibles, and let's turn to the fruit of the Spirit, which is found in Galatians 5, of course. Galatians 5 and verse 22. Galatians 5 verse 22, the fruit of the Spirit. We now come to the fourth aspect of the fruit of the Spirit. And we've said these are the requirements to one day enter into eternity. You know, part of the requirements is to have produced in us these seven spiritual aspects of the fruit of the Spirit. And here they are. Galatians 5 verses 22 and 23. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Let's stop there. And we've said that the fruit of the Spirit comes as a result of God placing His Spirit in us. He places His Spirit in the man or the woman, the one to whom He has called, so that the individual will create and develop the fullness of this one perfect fruit with all of its nine different graces of God's character. And perhaps, I think I can confidently say, there is no other part of the fruit which stands out like the rest than long-suffering. When we read this list, if I were to say which one perhaps stands out the most, I think it might be this fourth aspect. And in fact, it might remind you of a Sesame Street song. Can you think about which Sesame Street song this might remind you of? I'll give you just a moment. I wish I could go around the room and get your guesses. You've heard it, the Sesame Street jingle. One of these things is not like the other. One of these things just doesn't belong. Can you tell which one is not like the other? By the time I finish this song, I'm so sorry. But it does seem that if you apply that children's song to this list, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. If I had sound effects available to me, I might apply it there. The record scratching, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, then the record scratch. While it may seem contrary to our natural thinking, long-suffering is part of this lovely spiritual fruit. Anytime we come to God's Word, and anytime there's a difficult part, our initial desire is just to skip over it. But with God's help, we can wrestle with these things. The fruit of the Spirit is what it is, and long-suffering is part of it.

In looking to reveal or uncover this particular aspect of the fruit of the Spirit, we want to first identify and amplify this Greek word that's used here, translated long-suffering in the New King James translation. We want to amplify this word because the essence of it may perhaps be a little bit different than maybe what you have thought. It is the word, makrothimeo. I'll spell it for you once. M-A-K-R-O-T-H-Y-M-E-O. And the O on the N has that line above it. You know, rak-mah-th-e-mah-oh. And it's a very important word, and it's a very deep word. But at its essence, it is to patiently and bravely endure. And specifically, it is to be patient in bearing and enduring the offenses and injuries of others.

To be patient and bearing in the offenses and injuries of others.

And to be mild or to be slow in avenging. So I wanted to point that out. This is long suffering. This is slow to anger. This is slow to punish or retaliate. That's the essence of this word. The practice of long suffering, or suffering long with others.

So it is, in fact, the fruit of long patience, we could say. Mak-rah-th-e-mah-oh. The fruit of long patience. Some of the word studies that you can perform say this regarding this word.

If in English we had an adjective, long-tempered, as a counterpart to short-tempered, mak-rah-th-e-mah-oh could be called the quality of being long-tempered.

And throughout the New Testament, when it's applied, it's applied whereby it is not to give way or to a short or quick temper with those who fail us. In order to have harmony with each other, mak-rah-th-e-mah-oh is needed because it's the ability at times to suffer long with each other, the ability to be patient, to endure in and out of our dealings with one another. Now, I've been thinking about this quite a bit personally, and I want each of you to think about this personally. Your patience, or rather your impatience in this area, and when you begin to set your thoughts on this, it really is quite convicting. You know, if you start to look in the mirror of this particular fruit, I've been forced to recognize the times in which I'm guilty of impatience. And I realize whenever this occurs, when you start to be aware of it and start to think about this fruit, you realize that you're impatient, it really has to do more with your selfishness, your selfishness, or your pride than it really has to do with the failure on the part of the person that you're impatient with. That's generally what you'll find. We could illustrate this in different specific examples throughout our lives. We could go around the room and do that.

How about banks? How do you do in banks? You know, you arrive there and they have the beautiful chains in which you dutifully follow. Usually it's chains covered in velvet most of the time, and you get in line and you're sort of like cows waiting to be milked, I suppose. And you stand there and you have the whole time to review your whole life. You know, it seems the whole of your future can be planned out in that time. And you arrive and there's two people in front of you. And you say to yourself, well, this is wonderful. You know, I should get through this pretty quickly. However, the assistant manager looks up and sees there's three people, so they decide to dismiss two of the tellers for an early lunch. So there, two leave. There's one left. So you're stirred a little bit by that.

Then, out of nowhere, the person first in line pulls out one of those horrible bags. I know you've seen them. They're almost rubber inconsistent. They're always blue and they have a zipper on them. And they're this kind of bank bag, you know, and they proceed to pull that out. There's all kinds of crazy checks and money in it. Currency from Tripoli that they need converted, you know, it's really important. Second person moves up in line, bless their heart. They can't remember their account number. Of course, the teller announces that the computer's frozen at that moment. It's at those times that we discover ourselves and just how we do in the realm of patience. The post office, I don't know how many people would be prepared to admit they've worked in a post office, but every time I go to the post office and I go with something a little bit out of the normal, and I get that, but inevitably they always have me go over there and fill this out, you know, after I've waited in line the whole bit. And there I am, you know, looking over my shoulder as all these people are coming in and getting in front of me. Great challenge. Of course, the grocery store. No matter how skilled of a decision I make, the other line seems to go first, you know. And again, it's at those moments you figure out what you really like. One more. Drive up to the traffic light. Your second in line. Light turns green. The individual, she's able, I didn't mean to say she, they're able to make the turn, you know, so we can get on with life. And they wait until it turns red again, you know. They're very special times that we all go through. And I was thinking about it, it's at those moments really with where our ability to speak our intelligent biblical knowledge is what is not going to be effective, you know. Those moments where even though we might have the ability to recite all the books of the Bible in order, you know, it's not really helpful at that moment. Why? It's because the men and the women at the bank are watching our actions. They're watching our reactions. And they will learn from you at that moment. And what will be learned will be as you are living out or exercising your biblical knowledge. That's what they learn. See, at those moments, those are the moments where there is a bridge to the kingdom of God over which you may take the person that you're standing in line in that bank line or the post office or whatever it may be. And to do what no one else seems less and less the ability to do to relax, to wait, to be patient. Again, in those moments, it is those moments that the gospel of the kingdom of God is displayed as the fruit of long patience is revealed in you. And I think this is one of the places where the rubber meets the road when we are bringing the gospel to others. So, it seems that these moments we can make the most lasting impact to reveal the purposes of God by how we respond and how we react.

And you may be sitting there today and already, if you're like me, I summarize in my mind, okay, I know what this message is about and I'm ready. I'm resolved to do better. Tomorrow is going to be a much patient day for me. In the stillness of the Sabbath, you may already be contemplating that which you'll implement. But it is very difficult once the madness of Monday comes. But we must remember that long patience is a fruit of the spirit. And it must be practiced every day in every moment.

I'm not going to leave ourselves an out here. Every day in every moment is our goal. It's our higher level of righteousness. It's not an optional extra. It is the basic model of what a Christian is supposed to do. Long patience, endure, suffer long with others. So take a moment, take an initial pulse check, see where you stand, and let's get started. So we're going to try to help ourselves today by looking at this fruit from three different angles.

And what we're going to notice first, number one, is that, number one, long patience is revealed in God's character. That'll be number one. Long patience is revealed in God's character. Number two, we'll get to this, long patience is realized in God's Son. So long patience is realized in God's Son. And finally, number three, long patience is required in God's children. So revealed in God's character, realized in God's Son, required in God's children. So, number one, again, long patience is revealed in God's character.

In other words, this patience that Paul refers to here in Galatians 5, it is a divine attribute. And it simply means that this is one of the dimensions of the character of God. It is what God is like. And rather than just stating that fact, I want to show you a few different circumstances, examples, where we're able to see it in God's character.

First, to the Old Testament, if you'll turn with me to Exodus 34 and verse 5. So, Exodus 34, and we're going to begin reading, we're actually going to read verses 5 through 7 here. To see an example of how this is revealed in God's character, let me set the scene. After the events here, we're going to break into this moment. This is after the events of the creation of the golden calf.

In the previous chapters, we see that the people of God really made a hash of things, and they created this idol. And God speaks to his servant Abraham and reveals himself to him. And I want you to notice how he reveals himself. Exodus 34, verse 5 through 7. Exodus 34, verse 5, So, let's just stop there. So, after this debacle, this is the revelation of God's character. And it was this revelation of God's character which was essential at that moment.

They see this horrible event occur, this great offense, and this was what was necessary to reveal about God's character. So, here God's people, in the midst of their disobedience, they had declared just the opposite. We will be obedient, but now they had fallen victim to their natural desires, to think in only physical terms. So, the desire was to manifest a golden idol, a God-like figure, so they'd be able to handle it and made them feel better about it, rather than bow down to the one true God.

And in the awareness of that great offense, God reveals himself in this way, merciful, gracious, long-suffering. That's who he is. He bears long, the ability to patiently endure, to bear the offenses against him, slow to anger with us, slow to anger. So, this is part of God's character, and it's a great blessing to us. It's a great blessing. But, ironically, it can also be a great problem for some. Because sometimes it's difficult for us to understand why God is as patient as he is. For example, in respect to implementing his judgment, where we can identify with Jeremiah, where Jeremiah said, why do the wicked prosper? Where today we may ask, why is it that God just doesn't do something?

Why is it, you know, when we look at this dreadful generation, the rebellion, absolute rebellion against God, we can ask, why is it that God is so patient? Why doesn't he intervene and do something and deal with these wicked individuals? Why didn't he wipe out all the Israelites, golden calf and all? Just snap, wipe them out.

So, ironically, not everyone likes this part of God's character, God's patience, long-suffering with man. The classic example, I know you may be thinking about it, of that is the servant of God who was provoked to anger on this very matter. You remember Jonah, of course. You remember Jonah. In fact, turn with me, if you will, Jonah chapter 3, in verse 10. I want to see this shown through Jonah, this what can happen sometimes where we do not like this part of God's character. Jonah chapter 3 in verse 10, if you'll turn there, it's very interesting, such a beautiful part of God's nature and his character. We can actually take issue with it, just as Jonah did. Jonah 3 verse 10, and while you turn there, let me set the scene, of course, Jonah was told by God to go preach against this evil nation, Nineveh, and Jonah decides he does not want to do that. So, he decides he's going to flee from God, attempt to flee from God, and go to Tarsus, because, in essence, Jonah did not want God to give the people of Nineveh long patience. He didn't want God to suffer long with these people, allowing them to possibly turn and repent. So, in Jonah's eyes, these people didn't deserve long patience. They didn't deserve that part of God's character applied to them. And we know the events that transpired. Eventually, God gets him back on track. He goes and preaches to Nineveh what he had been instructed regarding the judgment of God. God saw that they responded to Jonah's message, and they repented. They put themselves in sackcloth and ashes and repented. This is what we read here in Jonah 3 verse 10.

When God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way, and God relented from the disaster that he had said he would bring upon them, and did not do it. Let's stop there. In other words, God exercised his patience. If you'll turn forward just one chapter to Jonah 4 verse 1 and 2, look at Jonah's response here. This can actually come up in us as well. Jonah 4 verse 1 and 2, but it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. So he prayed to the Lord and said, Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarsus. For I know that you are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in loving kindness, one who relents from doing harm. So this was a dramatic display of God's patience in his long suffering with man, slow to anger, relenting from harm. This is who God is. This is who he is. So we must be careful not to resent this part of God's character. Why is he so patient? Why? Why is he so long suffering with man? Well, just like for the people of Nineveh, God's will is that all would come to repentance, and none would perish. In fact, let's read those words where those words are found. Turn with me to 2 Peter 3 verse 8 and 9, and see those exact words here. 2 Peter 3 verse 8 and 9. Again, just like for the people of Nineveh, God's will is that all would repent, and that none would be perished. And this is working out first in the firstfruits, eventually all people. And just know his patience is long suffering with us. That part of his character, it makes salvation possible.

This part of God's character is one of the parts which makes salvation possible.

Look at this. 2 Peter 3 verse 8 and 9. Listen to these words here. But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is a thousand years, and a thousand years is one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some would count slackness, but is long suffering towards us. Why? Not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Let's stop there. So, one thing to point out is that God views the events of time and generations very differently than we do. You know, a day is as a thousand years to God. So, his patience is measured very differently than how we measure time. And just know he's not slack, as we would count slackness. If you have those feelings like Jonah come up in your heart, just know he's not turning a blind eye to sin. He's not okay with sin. He's not slack concerning how he's going to deal with sin. But realize, if God were to deal with sin at midnight tonight, if God were to exhaust his patience in a moment, at the strike of midnight tonight, once and for all, how many of us would still be here one minute past midnight? You know, none. So, the reason for God's delay is for God's people, those of us in this room, those of us who are being called to a saving relationship through his Son, those who have been called out of darkness, God is practicing long patience with us so that we might come fully to repentance and faith. So, have you fully come to repentance and faith in God? Have you fully come to repentance and faith in God today?

You see, this is why you want to thank God regularly for his long patience with us.

So, patience then is revealed in the very character of God, and we're very thankful for that fact. Secondly, number two, patience is realized in God's Son. That's number two aspect to look at today. Number two, patience is realized in God's Son.

So, in considering God's Son, and in considering this word, Machrath-emayo, we know that this fruit particularly expresses restraint in the face of opposition. Restraint in the face of opposition. So, while I began in a little humorous way, this is not patience merely waiting in line. Rather, it's restraining oneself in the face of real opposition. So, you can see how this fruit is going to be so important in the times that we're in, and as we get closer to the end time. And patience, this kind of restraint, of course, Jesus Christ is the example for us. His patience was fully fleshed out in the experience here on earth, fully revealed. We see Him, of course, exercising this patience all throughout His ministry with those whom He was given, the disciples. They were very, very slow to understand. And so, as you read the Gospel accounts, you see how this character comes forth.

You can hear it in the words where He says, have I been so long with you and you still do not understand? You know, that was a reoccurring emphasis. So, the Son of God had to exercise daily patience with the slow to learn disciples. And He does so today, of course. They were earthly-minded. You remember one instant where He had explained it very clearly. He had been with them a long time. And they came to Him and said, we're just, we got a question for you. We're just trying to figure out really quickly Jesus, you know, this is just before His crucifixion. We want to know, perhaps, if we might be able to sit, you know, on your right hand or your left hand in glory, you know, we think that will work out, you know, totally, you would think should have been a certain maturity point at that point. You know, and Jesus Christ explains to them in a very long suffering way that that should not be their concern. Patient with them when they all ran off, deserted Him when things got tough. Have you ever had that feeling? Have you ever been deserted? Only one left. Everyone else is gone. No one is there to stand with you.

They all scattered and fled. And what does He do? He appears after His resurrection and He says, go tell them, my disciples, that I'm here. And He goes and He encourages them. He reinstates them. Those who deserted Him. Just reminding us that because of the patience of Jesus Christ, salvation is still possible. Failure does not have to be final, you know. Such a wonderful quality, an example. Now, of course, the extreme example of Christ's patience. Sometimes we want to use Jesus Christ as the benchmark so it'll raise our eyes to the level of righteousness that we need to achieve for. We won't ever get there, but it causes us to reach higher, even though what we think is possible in this regard. The extreme example, of course, is His patience in His trial and crucifixion. Let's turn, if you will, to Matthew 26 for a moment. Let's just flesh out this extreme example of long suffering in the face of those who were oppressing Him, to say the least. Matthew 26, let's look at verses 65 through 68. Matthew 26 verses 65 through 68. Here is patience. We're going to see Christ had proclaimed that He was, in fact, the Son of God. Now in a frenzy, the high priest charges Christ with blasphemy. Look at this. Matthew 26, beginning in verse 65. Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, He has spoken blasphemy. What further need do you have of witnesses? Look now, you have heard His blasphemy. What do you think? And they answered and said, He's deserving of death. Verse 67. Then they spat in His face and beat Him, and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, saying, prophesy to us, Christ, who is the one who struck you? Stop there. So as I was contemplating this in my life, you know, we may find ourselves saying from time to time, you know, nothing tests my patience quite like this. Or nothing tests my patience quite like that. Or nothing tests my patience quite like so-and-so, you know, whatever it may be. And it's such a wonderful practice then to remember in those moments, you've never been, your patience has never been tested like this. Thank God.

Spat in His face, punched Him in the mouth, cursed Him to His face. He did not retaliate. Only long patience. Go forward, Matthew 27, in verses 27 through 29.

What in your life could come close to the test of patience like this? This is good to set our perspective again. And we're just touching barely on it today. Matthew 27, let's look at verses 27 through 29.

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him. And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. And then they had twisted a crown of thorns, and they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, Hell, King of the Jews. Let's stop there. So what do you do when people mock you? I know what I've been guilty of. If someone's mocking me, I try in my humanity to find the perfect cutting witticism. Just the perfect thing that will just destroy them in a phrase. That thing that I know that they are sensitive about, and I'll just poke it in right there. Unfortunately, I've been guilty of that more often than I would like to think. So am I practicing long patience in those moments? This is what we're talking about. This is the real-life application of this fruit, and it's a very difficult one. Very difficult.

Look at verse 30 and 31. Here we go again. Verse 30 and 31, staying here in Matthew 27, they sped on Him, took a reed, and struck Him on the head. And when they mocked Him, they took the robe off of Him, put His clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified. And I read this. I don't know what patience is, you know. So I need to put more effort and attention onto this particular grace of the fruit of the Spirit. Long patience revealed in God's character, realized in His Son. And now, thirdly, number three, long patience required in God's children. So number three, long patience required in God's children. So number three turns to us. We turn to God, His character. We turn to Jesus Christ and His example. Now we're turning to us, and we ask, why do we need this fruit? Why do we even need this fruit? Well, part of our purposes, the Bible reveals, of course, is that Jesus Christ came to reveal the Father so as we can live our lives to look more like the Father. That's our goal here. We're supposed to look like our Father, and we are supposed to have the family resistance. Salvation is ultimately being entered into this family, so we have to have the family characteristics and the traits in order to do so. Some of us, more so than others, we look like our Father. I marvel sometimes at how much someone does look like their Father. As I get older and older, I look like my dad. If you ever saw a picture of him, people say he looked like Ronald Reagan. I don't know why that just popped into my brain, but the way he moved and different characteristics. It makes me think of there was a particular girl, which I'm thinking of. It was a daughter, and she just particularly looked like her father. I just saw her father's face in her, you know, the cheekbones and the hairline and just the different things. That's no surprise. She was her father's daughter. She should look like her dad. A bit like her mom, but it sure did look like her dad. That's exactly what is to be said of us. If you claim to be the children of your heavenly Father, you're supposed to look like your father. One of the ways we can look like our father is by manifesting his patience, his long patience, his long suffering. In fact, Paul, who gave us the fruit of the Spirit, he wrote about the fruit of the Spirit all throughout his letters. If you begin to look for the fruit of the Spirit in his letters, you begin to see it all throughout. He wrote quite a bit about long suffering, quite a bit about long patience. Particularly, he wrote to the Collagen Church. I want to look at one example of how Paul prayed that God's people would have this very quality. Turn with me to Colossians 1, if you will, in verses 9 through 12. Paul prayed to God's people that they would have this very quality about them. Colossians 1, verses 9 through 12, this is a very beautiful prayer by Paul, and he prays for them God's people to have God's mock wrath, the mayo, the beautiful character of patience and long suffering here.

Look at this. So this is what he would pray for them, and he prayed to all of his congregations in this way, in one way or another. In the Collagen Church, he says, For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you will be filled with knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, for all patience and long suffering, with joy, giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. Let's just stop there. So again, verse 11, I pray that you might be strengthened with all power according to his glorious might and power, that you may have all patience and long suffering. So I was thinking about this just a moment. If you are writing this letter, I pray that you be strengthened with all God's power according to his glorious might, so that you may have... How would you finish that sentence? I wonder, you know. I think I would not finish it with patience and long suffering. I don't know if that would just naturally come to my mind when I think of God's power and might and glory and what that can give us. I might finish the letter and say, I pray that you have God's power and might and glory so that you can have the power to do dramatic things or so that you can speak in powerful ways or so that you can be greatly used by God, you know, whatever it may be. Now, Paul writes, I pray that God's power be unleashed in your life in all glory so that you are able to be long suffering when you feel like quitting someone, so that you might be patient when you feel like flat out losing it with everyone.

That was Paul's concern. I pray that you will use God's might for this reason, so that you can use this fruit. That's how impactful this part of the fruit of the Spirit is. It has a huge impact. It has a huge impact on my family and it will have on yours, too. It has a huge impact on our brethren. Powerful impact. So I don't know about you. I need someone to pray this in my life, you know. Father, I pray for him. I pray for her, that they might have great endurance, strengthen with all power, that he might have all patience, that she might have all long suffering, you know.

And then what you find is after this prayer, Paul then admonishes them to put it into practice. Through God's Spirit, you have this ability. Through God's Spirit, you have this quality implanted in you. Now Paul turns to the Colossian church and says, I want you to put it into practice. And we see this a few chapters later in Colossians 3. Let's turn there. Colossians 3, verse 12 and 13. Colossians 3, verse 12 and 13. So he prays for them again there. And now he's going to encourage them to put on to wear this characteristic as part of their daily clothing, if you will. And it's a wonderful imagery here. There's a Christian wardrobe. Colossians 3, verse 12 through 13. He now admonishes them to put this into action. Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long suffering, bearing with one another, forgiving one another. If anyone has a complaint against another, even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. So, in other words, you've been chosen. You've been made holy because God has placed his Holy Spirit in you. You're beloved. You are the kids of the kingdom. Therefore, I encourage you to wear the kingdom outfits, he says here. And what are we to wear? Well, he says, put on the garments of tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long suffering, bearing with one another, forgiving one another, even as Christ forgave you. Powerful words, you must do also. So, Christ forgiving us releases the spirit of forgiveness of others, and forgiveness being made possible by us being willing to be long suffering with each other. So, forgiveness is one of the evidences that we have this grace in us. It's one of the evidences. Forgiveness. So, and Christ forgiving us releases the spirit of forgiveness and patience that we can have with others. So, the fruit of patience, the fruit of long patience, just like the other parts of the fruit, is made possible for us to give because he gave it to us first. You know, all these aspects of this fruit, wonderfully and beautifully and lovingly, are given to us first. You know, God through Jesus Christ gave us all this first, and by him giving it to us, it makes it possible then for us to give. Well, let's conclude. Soon it will be Monday morning, and we'll be off again, and the challenges will be waiting for us. Your boss will be unbelievably out of touch, and we'll be talking about things a long time ago that you had no control of, and accusing us for things we didn't do. How will you respond? Or you've encountered once again the family member who will just love to not leave well enough alone, and they're in your business again. They're in all kinds of things they shouldn't be in. How will you respond? Or your husband or wife or sibling are at it again. Whatever it may be, you can fill in that blank. How will you respond? I believe developing this fruit begins every morning. It begins every morning, because every morning you're going to intentionally put your focus on this aspect of the fruit, and perhaps this will help you imagine yourself approaching a wardrobe. And they're in this wardrobe. You have on it all the different clothes. You're going to see anger, bitterness, malice, retaliation. You're going to see those in the closet, and you're going to intentionally push those to the side. You're going to look to the other side of the wardrobe, and you're going to say, ah, this is what I choose to put on today. I'm going to wear this today. This is the garment of enduring long patience. Again, I believe this fruit of long patience comes that way, not by some supernatural flash of light. Rather, it comes in the realm of the daily reality, where we're choosing to go back again and again to this garment.

So let's turn our thoughts onto this lovely part of God's character. Let's think about the ways in which Jesus Christ revealed this fruit to us, and let's turn our efforts, asking God to bless our efforts to display it so that we can become the bridge that this fruit may come into the lives of others, so that as we live and encounter them every day, they will, through us, know this beautiful fruit of long patience.