Week 5: PATIENCE

Read Galatians 5:22-23.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

Can you say the first 3 Fruit of the Spirit with me? (love, joy, peace)

Today, we’ll learn about Patience.  Have you ever had to wait for something?  

I’ve had to wait before too. One time I had to wait for...

(share something you’ve had to wait for with your team)

Waiting is hard. It seems like what you are waiting for will never get here!

Did you know there are two ways you can wait?

You can wait patiently or you can wait impatiently.

When you wait impatiently, you complain about how long it is taking, you whine when it takes too long, and you get upset because things aren’t going your way when you want them to.

When you have patience, you wait without complaining. You don’t whine or try to get your way faster. You wait quietly, trusting that God will take care of you.

Suppose I tell you that you can go in the game in the next quarter. Show me how you would wait patiently on the bench.  How could you cheer on your teammates while you are waiting patiently to go into the game? How do you think I will know that you are ready to go into the game?

Now isn’t that so much nicer than whining and crying about wanting to play in the game?

Let’s pray about having patience:

Dear God,
I trust you and I know that you want me to wait patiently for your answers and your timing. Help me to learn not to whine or cry when I don’t get my way. Help me to show others what it means to trust You by showing them how I patiently wait.
Amen.