FoTS - Patience

"Why is this car in front of me going so slow? Don't they know I'm late for work?"

"What? My flight is delayed? This is no way to start a vacation!"

Sound familiar? "Patience is a virtue," they say. It is also a Fruit of The Spirit, and stop #4 in our Fruit of the Spirit Bible study.

It is SO easy to be impatient in today's fast-paced world. Our schedules can get pretty full these days and one delay can throw the whole thing off. What to do? What to do?

Is our lack of patience a sign that we don't have the Holy Spirit in us? It could be. Perhaps it might be time to examine ourselves, and our schedules.

"Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? - unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" - 2 Corinthians 13:5

Our patience can be tested when we cram too many things into our day. Can we fully enjoy a conversation with a friend if we are constantly checking our watch because we have somewhere else to go?

Patience has a companion called priorities. They often travel together. As an example, a family might be at a weekend soccer match, but games are running behind. Evening plans need to be changed. Games get postponed until Sunday morning. Now what? Skip worship?

Patiently waiting on The Lord must be a priority in our lives. If we are not patient, do you think that God will try to TEACH us to be patient? Mhmm.

"But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." - 2 Peter 3:8

Uh-oh. I don't have time to wait THAT long!

"But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience." - Romans 8:25

Questions:

1. When was the last time you were impatient? Was it worth it? Describe. 
2. When you are impatient, what other emotions come along for the ride?
3. What do you do while you are waiting for God to answer your prayer?
4. Why is God so patient with us, even in our impatience?
5. How can I exhibit patience while others don't?