GAL229 - Our Time on Patience Has Run Out

• Matt shares a personal story about his work shed getting struck by lightning and breaking his internet.
• He humorously relates this incident to his struggle with patience before discussing patience as a fruit of the Spirit.

Patience is a defining attribute of God and is essential as a fruit of the Spirit in believers' lives. It expresses love and humility, especially when dealing with others' imperfections and challenges, as highlighted in 1 Corinthians 13:4 "Love is patient..." and Colossians 3:12-14 which ties patience to compassion, kindness, and forgiveness.

Patience is not just about waiting but adopting a long-term, wise perspective on life that counters quick temper and rash decisions, as Proverbs 14:29 states: "A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly."

It also involves enduring suffering with faith, as Romans 12:12 encourages joy, hope, patience in affliction, and faithfulness in prayer. True patience mirrors God's nature, uniting love, forgiveness, and perseverance into a virtue that stabilizes character and reflects spiritual maturity.

• God is infinitely patient because He is infinitely superior and powerful compared to creation.
• Patience reflects God's nature, making it a divine attribute transferred to us as fruit of the Spirit.