Patience, a precious fruit

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
James 1:2‭-‬4 NKJV

Difficult words to swallow.

Difficult truth to digest.

Yet, this words are a promise, not a judgement.

For the Word is clear, following Christ Jesus is costly, He suffered and so shall we.

Therefore, these words, this truth, is a gift to instruct.

When we fall into various trials we can find hope that God is using it to teach us many traits which the child of God should have.

One of the most profound being: patience.

It’s something we learn.

And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 1:5‭-‬8 KJV

It’s also a fruit.

Galatians 5:22-23NKJV — But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

The word long-suffering is often translated as patience.

The scriptures are full of those who patiently waited upon the Lord.

My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.
James 5:10‭-‬11 NKJV

Thus, for the follower of Jesus Christ, we can find perspective in the truth that God builds our character and provides bountiful fruit from the seasons which we walk through with Him in patience.

Knowing this truth means, we do not merely endure the trials, looking for the end of our lives on earth, but rather we await the return of Christ our Lord, understanding the blessings of patience and steadfast obedience through times of difficulty.

Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
James 5:7‭-‬8 NKJV

Not only do we anticipate the return of Jesus Christ, we have the opportunity to live daily bringing glory to His name and shining the truth of His Word to those around us.

For the patient faithful servant of Jesus Christ understands why they are waiting upon the Lord.

God has promised great things to His own.

Revelation 3:10-12 KJV — Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

Let us, each one, look to the promises of the Lord with encouragement and expectation.

For the fruit of a life lived wholly unto Jesus is beyond the value of earthly things and to those who serve with anticipation it is a sweet reminder of the promises God’s Word gives.

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
James 1:2‭-‬4 NKJV

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for the promises to those who rest in You and endure the various trials and tribulations with patience found in Your Holy Spirit. Lord Jesus, I long for my life to be honorable before You and that I might bring glory to Your name. Thank You for allowing us to share in the marvelous work You are doing each day in the hearts of people. Please continue this same work in my heart. Lord, please help me not to chafe at times and seasons, but rather to embrace each circumstance with joy and gratitude, understanding that this is how our hearts learn well. Thank You for Your wondrous works. Thank You for Your blessings. Lord, thank You for Your promises. May we eagerly await Your return, redeeming the time, for the days are evil. I praise Your holy name, Jesus. Amen.

“A little more suffering, please.”

Has anyone said this?

From the beginning of our lives, pain and suffering is something we want to avoid.

Physical pain helps us to know when we are endangering ourselves or something is wrong.

Physical pain is beneficial, because our physical bodies need to be protected from harm and pain can be a warning.

That’s why a parent teaches their child not to touch something “hot”, not to eat or drink something “yucky”.

It’s a safety issue.

So, purposefully guarding our bodies from harmful substances and activities is wise, it honors the One who gave it to us.

Yet, the spirit is a different matter, completely.

James 1:2-4 NKJV — My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

It’s not comfortable or fun to “fall into various trials”.

Actually, the average American person spends a good deal of their adulthood trying to avoid trials.

Scripture makes it clear God uses trials.

He works on our character by walking us through tribulations.

Romans 5:3 KJV — And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

Trials are not something a we have to look hard to find.

As Christ followers, we should expect them.

John 15:18 NKJV — “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.

Jesus’s life is our example and that includes suffering.

He suffered to an extent no human can comprehend.

God became man, to allow His own creation to accuse Him of being Himself, beat Him and crucify Him.

He came, choosing the greatest suffering, that mankind might be saved from eternal suffering, the consequence we chose when sin contaminated our race.

With this gift of salvation from Jesus Christ, we get another choice, that of following Him.

It’s the best kind of suffering.

To live in the world and yet not to be of the world.

To walk daily, choosing to allow God and His Word to work in us, continually shaping our hearts.

Letting patience have it’s perfect work that we might be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

2 Corinthians 4:17 KJV — For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You so much for Your Word. Thank You for salvation and Your example to us in all things. Lord, please continue to hone our hearts and to guide our steps. Lord, help our mouths to be full of Your praise, our eyes fixed upon Your Word, our hearts tender, and our minds focused upon You. Lord, it goes against our earliest emotions to be willing to die to ourselves, but it’s the only way we can live unto You. Lord, please help us to better understand how to rejoice when we fall into trials and how to walk with You in patience. Thank You for Your Word, Your truth, and Your faithfulness. I love You, Jesus. Amen

Because of His love

My husband doesn’t like having his picture taken.

Because of his love for me, he allowed me to snap this.

Because of the love we share, we made it a priority to return to this Aquarium for our New Year’s celebration.

Because of God’s love, we have peace.

Our lives have been turned upside down and shaken out this past year.

Because of God’s perfect love, He has allowed it all.

Suffering is actually an opportunity.

Pain has a way of purifying.

When each day is a press, squeezing, all the innermost truths of the heart appear.

Loss and change are actually an opening for God to show His abounding love.

And perfect love casts out fear. (1 John 4:18)

Because of love, Jesus’s perfect love, I can celebrate the New Year with joy.

Not because everything is sorted out and picture perfect.

Most of the questions which surrounded our family last year still are unanswered.

Yet, there’s no need to search.

I know the truth and His name is Jesus.

An old hymn has crystalized my emotions for last year and the year to come.

“When peace like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll,

Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say

It is well, it is well, with my soul.”

It is Well With My Soul by Horatio Spafford

I pray you are able to walk in God’s love today and on into this new year.

Because of love:

2 Corinthians 5:15 NKJV — and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

Fruits of the Spirit

Galations 5:22-23a

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, self-control.

The Holy Spirit bears fruit in the lives of those who choose Jesus Christ as their Lord, as their Master.

To walk in submission to Jesus daily gives ample opportunity for the Spirit to bear fruit in that life.

And such wonderful fruit it is!

Love,

Joy,

Peace,

Long-suffering…

Wait!

How does long-suffering fit into this?

The list continues:

Kindness,

Goodness,

Faithfulness,

Gentleness,

Self-control.

Yes! These are fruits worth biting into!

Fruits which give pleasure and blessing to both the person whose heart is being fruitful in the Spirit as well as those around them.

Where does long-suffering fit?

And yet, it does.

God never makes a mistake.

Yes, this is a translation of the original.

No, the English version probably doesn’t give us the complete picture of the original language.

But, we need to remember:

Every gift from the Spirit is also present in Jesus.

We as Christ followers are to pattern our lives after His.

Is long-suffering part of Jesus’ character?

Absolutely.

He walked the Earth, constantly trying to show mankind the love of God.

He endured, misunderstanding, mockery, accusations, and tricks.

To be beaten, tortured, and then hung on a cross, because He chose to.

He defeated sin and death, once and for all.

And even after all that His name is misused, His teachings twisted, His love misunderstood.

Mankind regularly still chooses sin instead of the Savior.

Yet, He still continues to love every single person, every single day.

Yes, long-suffering is definitely a fruit of the Spirit.

And it’s one each of us needs.

To continue to love the unlovely.

To remain steadfast in times of trial, pain, and heart break.

To walk into today with joy, even though this world is broken, bruised, and bleeding.

Jesus did.

And through the gifts of the Spirit,

we can too.