It is raining today which means that I don’t have to fuss with setting up sprinklers in my gardens. That is a very good thing. The snow’s barely gone from the hillsides and the ground’s already dry. I welcome any and all rain which falls on the gardens. On the other hand, the rain keeps me inside when I would rather be digging and planting in the vegetable beds. Rain is a restless blessing. For me, restless translates into impatient.

I am not a particularly patient person. Ask anyone in my family who’s been around when I am waiting for something to happen. Or waiting for someone! I’d rather be doing something, anything, other than WAIT. It is no accident that the Lord has me waiting a lot right now for the next thing He has for me. He says Patience, my Dear, Patience. I respond, Well OK, but hurry up, will You? Please. After all, I haven’t got all day!

No, but I do have the rest of my life. Why rush and miss the fruit?

In our Ladies Bible study, we’re looking at Galatians, the fruit of the Spirit.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23.

Currently we’re learning patience and about patience. I love the more archaic word forbearance. It implies a bearing forward of something into the future and speaks of an ongoing action rather than something to possess. “I am forbearing” carries greater  meaning than “I am patient. “

In the Scripture it is listed after peace. One would think that patience leads to peace, not the other way around so I’d conclude Paul had reason to order the nine characteristic “fruit “ as he did. Love comes first because it is God’s nature. From that love flows all else, all that the Spirit of Jesus manifests in us. It is not our fruit, but His – His love, joy, peace and patience…

Without God’s unconditional love, there is only the world’s version of carnal love and when did that ever bring lasting joy?  Without the Lord’s love and joy, we have no peace of mind but are constantly watching out for the proverbial shoe to drop on our heads and for things to go awry. God’s peace steadies our souls to be patient, trusting that the living Spirit of Jesus is good and works for us, not against us. Patience points to an expected outcome.

I can’t think of a better metaphor for patience than a garden. Those who garden have to be patient for fruit to come at harvest time. I have no control of rain or sun or length of growing season but work the garden any way. Why? Because if I do what’s needed – till, plant, water and nourish, I expect seeds to sprout, flowers to bloom and zucchini to multiply like crazy. Forbearance will not only yield more  fruit of the Spirit, but will also replicate itself. The practice of patience yields ever greater patience.

In an earthly garden, what kind of “fruit” might that be? Would it be flower or vegetable? Would the fruit be of a tree or from the ground? Something edible or ornamental? It surely wouldn’t be a fussy rose or heat thirsty tomato either. I can’t see it as a zucchini or wildly rampant daisy. I think it might be a single seedling given to us as a surprise by God whose directions are: Plant it, wait with forbearance and see what wonders will burst forth!