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There’s an old saying that always brings a smile to my face: “Never pray for patience or you just might get something to be patient about.” Well, I wouldn’t say that I’ve specifically been praying for patience, but for the past several weeks, I have asked God to fill me with the fruit of His Holy Spirit and patience happens to be one of them. So, naturally, when I had a chance to practice patience at a recent family gathering, I was tested.  

You’re probably thinking my patience was tested by a family member, but that wasn’t the case. At least, not this time. No, my patience was tested by a waitress who was serving our large group of fourteen people. Although I didn’t get boisterous and rude, I did get expressively annoyed with her and my impatience that day was not the testimony I wanted to exhibit to my family—particularly those who are not believers. 

The guest of honor, my graduated grandson, along with his parents, had been held up in their arrival by unexpected long lines as he officially checked out of San Francisco State University. Our son had texted to tell all of us to proceed with ordering our food and drinks since they were running late. The waitress had taken my order, and one other person’s, then stopped for some reason. Another hour went by, our grandson and his parents arrived but by then I was getting Hangry. Being a little hypoglycemic, my body tends to get very shaky if I push the limits of eating too long between meals and I was trying hard to be patient. But when it became obvious that my order was going to be the very last one of all fourteen served, despite the fact I’d ordered thirty minutes before everyone else, I was steaming hangry. With a sharp ungracious tone, I let the waitress know I wasn’t happy about it. 

My prayers for God’s Holy Spirit to fill me with His fruit earlier that day had turned into: “Give me patience and give it to me now!” I might have laughed at myself had I thought about my attitude as being like that, but sadly it didn’t come to mind then. 

It’s interesting how we handle some things with patience better than others. Painting is one activity that seems to encourage a patient spirit within me. No matter how long a particular painting might take, I remain calm. The painting you see pictured at the blog starting point, was quite large, (about 6 feet long by 4 1/2 feet) and it took me a few months to complete. Sometimes I’d work through lunch, but not once during the process, did I get anxious or impatient.

So, on that day of celebration, contemplating my failure to handle that small fruitful challenge, further drove home the reality that I need to let God’s Holy Spirit handle it for me when I do get anxious. Instead of vociferously expressing my displeasure with the waitress, who was probably overwhelmed at the size of our group, I should’ve silently prayed for God’s Spirit to help. Or perhaps I should’ve done what Jesus did after forty days of fasting in the desert, when Satan tempted him to “turn these stones into bread,”—he quoted scripture to the devil. 

In my studies over the years, I’ve learned that using God’s word, when we’re being tempted or tried by the evil one, is how we can effectively use the Sword of the Spirit as mentioned in Ephesians 6. So, maybe, if I’d used that tool against the hunger and shakiness within me, I would have been more effective and certainly a better witness to others. Undoubtedly, I had acted more in line with what Paul said in Romans 7:19: “the good that I will to do, I do not do, but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.”  Thankfully we also know, by God’s word in Romans 8:1, that “There is therefore, now, no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” 

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