“True patience is the losing of our self-will in [God’s] perfect will…patience is not our gift…it is God’s gift” (Andrew Murray, Waiting on God, Day 14).

CSLewisHumility“But the spiritual nature produces love, joy, peace, PATIENCE, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There are no laws against things like that” (Galatians 5:22-23 God’s Word©, emphasis added).

We do not produce fruit (“spiritual nature”). We are branches that hold the fruit which the True Vine produces (“Live in me, and I will live in you. A branch cannot produce any fruit by itself. It has to stay attached to the vine. In the same way, you cannot produce fruit unless you live in me” (John 15:4 God’s Word©).

We are so centred on ourselves. It came to me as I drove to work yesterday that when a driver of another vehicle doesn’t signal in front of us, passes us unsafely, nearly (or does) involve us in an accident we respond with everything except love because our reaction comes not from “the spiritual nature” but from how the encounter causes us to feel, from the threat we experience or the harm done (or almost done) to us or our property.

Dear God in heaven and close by, keep us out of the centre of the universe where You belong. Grant us Your patience so that we will react with love for others from the love You show us. I cannot be patient like You, but I can let you be patient through me. I commit to learning how to wait patiently on You, for You, to live the spiritual life only You know how to live. AMEN