Patience | Fruits of the Spirit | Week 6

Hebrews 6:11 (ESV) - “And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit promises.”

Background - Chapter 6 continues to warn against spiritual immaturity, but with a more uplifting tone. The reader is reminded that God is faithful to reward those who seek Him. In fact, the promises made by God are absolutely secure, since they are tied to the ultimate standard of truth: God Himself. Our purpose in seeking to know God better, then, is fused to our trust in Him, and His promises, despite the struggles we may face in the world.

Pre-Discussion Question - Think about the desires of your heart. Marriage? Kids? Financial freedom? How do you practice patience while waiting for these things?

Application - Patience is defined in the dictionary as “the quality that does not surrender to circumstances or succumb under trial.” Patience is divinely designed to undergird all the other fruit of the spirit listed in Galatians. It keeps the other fruit working so that even when we’re under pressure, we don’t give up and quit.

Post-Discussion Question - Are you waiting on the Lord for His will? Or are you waiting for the answer to be “yes?” What if the answer is never “yes?” How do you have patience THEN?

Dive Deeper:

Hebrews 10:36 (ESV): “For you have need of endurance so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.”

Recap: Patience activates and keeps our faith moving until we receive clarity from God. Patience is waiting on the Lord to do HIS will. Not your own will. You physically can not do that on your own strength.