Fruit at Camp #4: Patience

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience…
-Galatians 5:22-23

It’s all Greek to me…

I thought patience meant not getting frustrated while stuck in traffic, or not slamming the door in your sibling’s face when they come into your room for the fifteenth time. Turns out there’s more to it. The Greek word for patience is Makrothymia, and it has multiple meanings.

Yes, it can refer to patience, but also endurance, long-suffering, steadfastness, and perseverance. It’s why you’ll often see Bible translations (such as the KJV) use long-suffering interchangeably with peace. As Christians, we patiently await the return of Christ. Millions of Christians are also persevering as they face increasing persecution around the world.

When Paul told the Galatians to be patient, he didn’t mean, “Hey guys, let’s stay home and wait.” He wanted them to persevere, to endure, because he knew the challenges they would face.

Similarly, when God tells us to be patient, that’s not an excuse to keep waiting. It’s an encouragement to keep going, to keep persevering, to stay steadfast even when it’s hard.

Here’s how I’ve seen patience play out in recent weeks…

Makrothymia at Camp.

Please be patient as I give you some context. Right now I’m sitting at a picnic table, situated in the middle of camp. In front of me is an empty field (the campers have left for the day). A rope-and-wood obstacle course to my left, a bike course on my right, and a rock wall in front of me.

I’m practicing patience. I’m doing the opposite of what I’d normally do. I’m not sitting indoors in my ‘office’, typing away at my computer while listening to Batman music and cycling through tabs. I’m all alone in nature.

No music. No cell phone. No distractions. I’ve replaced my computer with a trusty laptop and my office chair with a wooden picnic bench. I’ve swapped my music out for the whistling rustle of trees and the ambience of birds chirping.

I call this a lesson in patience, because apart from camp, when do I get this kind of opportunity? I know experts say being in nature is good for you, and I’m starting to see why. I think there’s a reason God created humans to live in an outdoor garden and not an indoor office block.

Choosing Grace.

The way we’ve structured our lives (and I count myself in this too) goes against patience. God didn’t call rushing or busyness or even [gasp] productivity a Fruit of the Spirit. I won’t repeat everything I’ve said on busyness or Sabbath (you can read about that here), other than being patient is the opposite of being rushed.

Camp is special because of this. And I’m not saying you need camp to practice being patient or slowing down. We all have time to be patient in our day-to-day lives. Especially at camp, this means showing grace to others. After a long and tiring day, it’s easy to snap at someone or become frustrated with them. Patience means responding in love, whether you feel that way or not.

Truth is, most people don’t perform to the standards or caliber you want (or at least this is what I’ve discovered). I’m sure Jesus felt that all the time. And yet, He showed patience with His Disciples, with His followers, and with the never-ending line of people waiting to be healed. Jesus never once grew impatient without merit. Jesus lived out a patient, grace-filled life.

So how do we do that?

Makrothymia in real life.

As I said above, we start small. I can grow better at thinking the best of others when my human nature would rather grow frustrated with them. I can’t speak for you, but maybe you have a friend/sibling/relative/person who gets on your nerves. The easy option is to lose patience and shout at them, or stop spending time with them, or water-gun them in their sleep.

If we want to be like Jesus, we need to show them patience (and not grow impatient). Patience isn’t an excuse; it’s showing love despite their shortcomings.

Short-term & Long-term Patience.

After we’ve practiced patience in the short term, we can begin applying it to the long term. God has a plan for our lives. Whatever you’re going through – good or bad – is being used by God to accomplish that plan. If you’re having the best summer of all time, that’s great; know that God is using this season to prepare you and strengthen your faith. If you’re facing difficult circumstances, know that God is using this time to draw you closer to Him. He has not forgotten you.

Our brothers and sisters in Christ are facing tremendous persecution worldwide. And yet, somehow, they’re enduring (because of Jesus). They’re being patient and faithful to Christ. As Paul said in Romans 12:12 (NKJV), “[Be] rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer.” Let’s continue to lift up our family in Christ.

In my books, living for Christ means living a patient life. It equals spending time alone and in nature (like I’m doing right now), and it means showing patience and grace to others. And I can’t forget that God’s plan for my life will happen in His time.

I’ll finish with a quick reflection question: How can you practice patience today, and how can you practice patience as we run this race for Christ?

As James 5:8 says…

“You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.”