Patience is one of the fruits of the Spirit that is difficult to accept and more difficult to put into practice. In the present moment we have so many things that require immediate gratification. How in the world are we supposed to exercise patience?
Another definition for patience is long suffering.
What an oxymoron: patience is related to suffering. How can this be? Yet, it is true. Patience must be exercised in the midst of a trial. We have no choice but to wait.
Orange is where it’s at…
I chose the color orange (or peach) to represent patience. Orange is a mix of red (love) and yellow (joy), so it seems that patience would be a mix of love and joy. In one sense this is absolutely true. When a person exercises patience, he is showing love by putting himself behind the other person/thing in need. He is also showing joy to the other person/thing by choosing to have hope and wait alongside for a positive result.
Patience doesn’t always result in positive outcomes.
Sometimes, we wait and wait and wait for an answer to prayer, and God says no. Or, God says wait. And, then there are times when He says yes. In any answer to prayer, we have to wait and have faith. We have to be patient.
The picture above is an inexpensive creation I made from a store-bought notebook, a few pieces of scrapbook paper, and a spare piece of ribbon. It cost me one dollar to make. Yet, the end result is invaluable, for it is a unique creation.
I call it my healing journal. Why? Healing takes time.
I plan to make many more healing journals for anyone who would like to have one. These journals take about an hour to make. That is not a lot of time, but it does require patience. I have to measure the paper, the ribbon, and the glue. I have to wait for it all to stay in place before I transfer it to a safe place for keeping.
The healing journal is a small part of why I am choosing to focus on the nine fruits of the Spirit. As a newly joined member of the panic-anxiety realm, I have to make a conscious effort to focus on the present moment. I have to be patient with my mind as my body returns to a normal functioning state. Moments feel like hours when adrenaline hits the system. So, I am focusing on journaling my way through this season of growth, pruning, and rebirth.
Romans 12:12 says, “Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.”
It is easy to associate the word patience with a negative trait. But, it doesn’t have to be viewed that way. Patience is a teacher. It creates a new type of learning curve. It is re-training the mind to slow down, have hope, and seek closure. Patience teaches a child to be grateful instead of demanding. Patience teaches a young adult to have faith when the situation looks bleak or unreachable. Patience teaches the older adult to embrace the winding down of life and the enjoy what has been experienced.
Patience is not an easy topic to share. This is one virtue that is so subjective, so individualized, that it is difficult to express in words. Yet, I must share what I know, what I have learned, and what I hope to experience as I ingest the fruit of Patience.
Becoming Process Driven 
Oh the story if patience. The Lord really showed me what I needed to have.
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