stevecuringtonministries.com

Good morning! I define patience as enduring wrong, without complaint, while waiting for justice. Looking at the three parts of this definition we realize there are lots of people who endure wrong. But they complain about it. That's not patience!

There are others who won't complain to others abbout anything, but they refuse to endure being wronged. They snap on those who let them down. But then there are others who are the closest to being patient. They endure wrong and they don't complain to anyone BUT rather than waiting for justice to be served to the wrong doer, they take matters into their own hands and try to seek vengeance themselves. If only they could leave it in the Lord's hands they could win many a battle in life.

So we see true patience endures being wrong, without complaint to the wrongdoer or to others and allows God to vindicate them or take vengeance in His time on the violator. That's a wonderful trait to have. But make no mistake about it; it's not a fruit of the Spirit. Rather, it is a fruit of righteousness.

Let me explain. The Bible describes the fruit of the Spirit in the book of Galatians. He lists nine fruits that are a result of yielding to the presence of the Holy Spirit. These nine fruits are received at conversion. But to express these fruits we must die to self and yield to the prompting of the Spirit when faced with adversity. He will lead us to respond in one of these supernatural nine options.

The word fruit means outcome or result. The fruit of the Spirit thus means the outcome or result of the Spirit. This outcome or result of the Spirit in our life is righteousness. In other words, it is the ability to act right, even when wronged.

So we conclude that the fruit of the Spirit equals righteousness. However, that righteousness produces fruit as well. In other words the fruit of the Spirit produces righteousness and our righteousness also produces fruit.

In Philippians 1:10 we learn that we are to "approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

What are these fruits of righteousness that come from exercising the fruit of the Spirit? These fruits represent basic character qualities that NEVER or seldom existed in our lives before we began to embrace the Spirit filled life.

As we develop spiritually, we find that we will not only respond in one of nine actions or reactions of the Spirit, but over time we will become people of sound character as well. The things we struggled to accept or overcome will be easy to embrace.

With that said, when we reject our Spirit filled life of love, joy, peace, etc, in the face of perceived wrongdoings by others, we are also postponing the development of our character. Many of us overlooked character development in our teen years and regret it. We need to catch up! The best way is allow our character to be a "fruit of His righteousness" that stems from the righteousness produced by yielding to the "fruit of the Spirit".

So, when we look at patience, or any other difficult character trait to express in the face of wrong doing, let us recognize it's availability to us through the development of our interpersonal relationship with Jesus Christ.

You say, I can't be patient! I get too frustrated. Well, remember. Frustration is a work of the flesh that is offset by yielding to the fruit of the Spirit~Joy! If we respond in Joy to the wrong doing, our personal patience with them will soon follow.

You expect me to be longsuffering toward them? Yes, it is a fruit of the Spirit and it is one step prior to patience. Love? It will lead us to be patient. Peace? It will allow us to "blow off" the perceived wrongs, for our trust is in the Lord. Why worry?!

Do we accept harshness over gentleness; meanness over goodness or discord over meekness? If yes, we hinder God's ability to produce the fruit of patience in our life. For patience is a fruit of righteousness, not a fruit of the Spirit. We can't have a fruit of righteousness unless we first express His fruit of the Spirit.

So remember that when we yield to patience in the face of wrong, refusing to complain and leaving it up to God to determine justice for that wrongdoer, we will see God receive the greatest glory. Why? It is because our fruit has produced more fruit. It won't be long before more fruit becomes much fruit. Why is that so important? For "Herein is my father glorified. . .

A PRAYER FOR TODAY: "Good Morning, Father! I sure love you today and look forward to a day over victory in Jesus. Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through Christ Jesus our Lord. Help me to embrace your Spirit's leading in my life today. Especially facing wrong doers. Help me to look past the weaknesses of others, as you so often do me and empower me to produce the fruit of the Spirit and the subsequent fruits of righteousness through your Spirit of Wisdom. I pray these things in the blood stained name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen!"