The Fruit of the Spirit: Peace and Patience

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Isaiah 26:3

Peace is the by-product of our relationship in Christ. We receive the peace of Christ, and our joy and love from Him produce the peace that supports our spiritual growth along with the church’s health, hope, and connectedness. When we are on the verge of giving up, or losing our hope, peace from Our Lord can be the anchor to keep us on His path.

Peace comes when we surrender and yield ourselves to His Lordship, so that we are in His control, for He is our ultimate peace. Once we make real peace with God, we will be able to make and maintain peace with others. As with joy, this fruit is not based on our circumstances in life; rather, our confident relationship in Christ.

The opposite of peace is chaos and turmoil.

Without God’s peace, we are unable to build positive relationships or handle difficult situations. While Peace can be maintained for a time out of ignorance or denial, when the realities of life come upon us, peace will be impossible without contentment in Jesus Christ. Peace is learning to let go of our will, desires and plans. Peace is serenity from the realization that God is in charge, and we can relax because He is in control.  Peace enables us to be moved from the stronghold of fear and trepidations into a life of harmony (Isa. 26:3; 2 Tim. 1:7).

The key is for us to look to Christ, not to our situation for peace. When something very difficult comes upon us, we will have the great comfort that God is in control and will not allow us to carry more than we can tolerate.  Our peace, joy and purpose in life is Christ, and our relationship in Him!

Peace in our hearts makes peace with others and peace in the church that influences the world.

The Fruit of the Spirit is Patience

We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. Psalm 33:20

Life is not about our wants, needs, or comfort; it is about Christ working in us more powerfully and triumphantly. The patience flowing from Christ into and out of us will show tolerance and fortitude toward others, even accepting difficult situations from them, and God. Patience even gives us power to allow for the faults and failings of others without being judgmental or making demands.

Patience is also called longsuffering, waiting and allowing God the room and time to work through us to others around us. It allows us to put up with others who get on our nerves, focusing on forgiveness and grace.

The opposite of patience is impatience, intolerance, and worry.

Things that worry, annoy, or cause us to fear and distrust wreck our patience. These things hold back our faith and our witness of Jesus in the lives of others. Our impatience prevents us from seeing that all things will work for His good in the end.

We, as fallen humanity, do not like to wait, especially in our fast-paced, fast-food society. We may (ironically) cry out to God and ask that He give us patience, NOW!  Yet, if He did, would we have it? Patience allows us to receive and participate in God’s love as it builds loyalty and faithfulness, as in the life of Hosea.

To grow our patience we must not to be infected by the world’s ideas and lusts, but to help it along toward God’s purpose. Patience will allow us to forgive (Rom. 5:8), as Christ forgave us and has patience with us.  Patience will see the hope that is ahead, when the clouds of our lives and experiences block its view from our sight (2 Pet. 1:6).

Are these Fruits of the Spirit – Peace and Patience – in you?

Ask yourself:

1.How do I exhibit peace and patience in my daily life?

2.What can I do to develop a more peaceful and patient attitude?

3.What blocks peace and patience from being expressed in me?

4.How can I ask God for the strength to be patient as He is?

5.How can I depend on God to give me His peace?

Check out an earlier post in this series here.