I just stood there, in the middle of the classroom I worked
in last summer, wanting to pull my hair out.
All I could do was bite my lip in
frustration. The rain had kept us inside all week and the volume of the
students had exceeded my ears’ limitations. That morning had begun a day of never-ending
complaints that I couldn’t handle anymore, and the patience I had just taught
my four-year-olds about seemed like a foreign concept that I couldn’t grasp in
that moment—so, I prayed.
--And
prayed some more.
I begged
God for the one fruit so many people tell me not to pray for or “I’ll regret it”—patience.
As I stood before “my” children, I remembered who they were: young, innocent,
and loving. In no way were they trying to frustrate me, and they definitely
didn’t deserve any agitation aimed at them, but, as I said, my patience was
waning; I was desperate for God to intervene.
Then, the
Holy Spirit spoke to my soul and reminded me or rather made me aware of a truth
I believe so many of us Christians have overlooked. Acts 1 talks about the Holy
Spirit coming upon us, that we will be baptized in the Holy Spirit when we
become followers of Christ (NIV, Acts 1:5). When we receive Christ’s salvation,
the Holy Spirit immediately indwells within us. Meaning, (get this) we have the
power of GOD living within us, and if we let Him take over, we will be living by
His power, not our own.
If we have
all of the Holy Spirit, then all of the fruit of the Spirit are within us
as well. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, [and] self-control” (ESV, Gal. 5:22-23). If
the Spirit is inside us, we have the capability to be patient because He is
patient in us.
So, yeah,
you and I on our own may not be able to be or display patience, but the
glorious truth is that we are not alone. We are baptized in the Holy Spirit who
is entirely patient.
Rely on Him
and His patience to get you through. His power is in you if you have received
His gift of salvation.
Living Life Together,
Rebecca Thomas
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