Have patience, have patience, don't be in such a hurry...

Yes, I am singing and praying for some patience in my heart today.  

The dictionary says that patience is “an ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay.”  And, Beth Moore says that patience is directly related to how we judge others.  I truly believe that if I understood better why another person is acting the way they are – instead of judging them because of their behavior – I would be less annoyed, or impatient, with them.  Especially at school, I never know what kind of home a child has woken up in this morning.  I have no idea about the struggles they have already faced by the time I see them.  But today, instead of being quick to judge, I am praying for patience.

Back to the plant parables – Christ says, “As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.” (Luke 8:15) Think about how much patience it takes for a seed to bear fruit!  First, it has to be good seed that lands on good soil, and then the sun has to shine down on it:

Then, it has to be rained on...

Then, dried up by the wind...

Then, cooled in the night...

Then, one day - the sun finally comes out - and the seed is ready to grow some roots...

Then it rains again and the seed rests again, and when the sun comes back out - the seed starts to sprout...

Then it rains again and the seed rests again, and when the sun comes back out - the sprout grows some pedals...

Then it rains again and the seed rests again, and when the sun comes out - the good seed is finally a fully grown flower.

And then the flower "bears fruit" or makes seeds, and the process starts all over again!

So, it's going to take us a while, and a lot of rain and sunshine to get where God wants us.  When you get impatient with someone - remember that you don't know if they are on a sunny day or a rainy day, and we know it takes both for us to be fruitful.  But let's persevere through those rainy days, and have compassion on others who might be having a rainy day - so that when the sun does come out again - we can become fruitful plants producing and growing more good seed!

Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. – James 5:7