You Won’t Find Patience in Heaven (You Won’t Need Any)
Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control, against such things there is no law.
I loathe phone menu trees. If this, press one…if that, press two. And you have to listen to the whole message before you can press nine and opt out. Not only does the litany drag on interminably, but a cheery recorded voice keeps interrupting with a message: Thank you for your patience. What patience? I just want to get to a real person and end the suffering.
Did you know that the word patience literally means “long-suffering”? Not suffering that we can cut short by anger or rudeness or leaving the scene or hanging up the phone. Oh no. Patience (the kind the Holy Spirit gives) refers to the ability to cope with suffering that persists, suffering with no end in sight. You’ll find a lot of suffering on earth, but not much long-suffering. On earth patience is a rare commodity.
Heaven is different. In heaven we will never suffer again – phone menu trees are outlawed, as are physical problems and relational hurts and irritating people. There’s no need for patience in heaven.
As far as I know, all other aspects of the Spirit’s fruit last forever. But not patience. Patience disappears when suffering ceases. You won’t find patience in heaven.
You Won’t Find Patience in Heaven (You Won’t Need Any)
© Lynne Fox, 2017
biblegrapes.com