Fruit of the Spirit Week 4: Patience
This week we are continuing our study of the fruit of the spirit and our focus is Patience
Patience
Patience is a funny thing really. We know that its important, but it seems that most of us find it hard. We don’t really like waiting for stuff. We all know how it feels to have to wait for things – it might be waiting for a birthday or a parcel in the post. It might be waiting for the weekend (shout out to all the parents smashing homeschooling and working!) or having to be patient as we stand in a queue in a shop.
There are loads of stories in the Bible about people having to be patient. Today we’re thinking about the ways in which the Holy Spirit grows the fruit (characteristic) patience in us, as we become more like the people that God has made us to be. But, of course, fruit takes time to grow! If you planted an apple tree in the garden, you wouldn’t expect to find a ready to eat apple on it the very next day. It’s the same with us – it takes time for God to grow his character in us. We’ve got to be patient as we wait for more patience in our own lives!
Let’s worship
When we’re thinking about patience, it’s important to remember the God who is always very patient with us – even when we’re a bit messy and chaotic and getting things wrong, He still loves us. He gives us plenty of time to become the people that he has made us to be and the best way to respond is to thank Him and worship Him. God is very good to us and so we’re going to celebrate that with our worship songs this morning.
He’s the one who guides us and shows us the way – just like a lighthouse - which is why we’ve included the classic song by Rend Collective! Try out some new dance moves to the last song by CJ and Friends and we just had to include Nick and Becky Drake’s great new song about The Golden Rule again because we LOVE it! Let’s worship!
Let’s dive into the Bible
Psalm 40:1 (NIV)
“I was patient while I waited for the Lord.
He turned to me and heard my cry for help.”
There are loads of different people in the bible who find themselves having to wait for things. It’s not because God is slow or isn’t listening; it’s just that we don’t always get everything we want at the exact moment we ask for it. Sometimes part of the waiting is actually God trying to teach us to trust Him.
Can you think of some occasions when you’ve had to wait patiently for something?
Matthew 13:31-32 (ICB)
Then Jesus told another story: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed. A man plants the seed in his field. That seed is the smallest of all seeds. But when it grows, it is one of the largest garden plants. It becomes a tree, big enough for the wild birds to come and make nests in its branches.”
Even though the seed is small, it does grow and eventually becomes a big tree. It’s like when we plant daffodil or tulip bulbs in the autumn - we have to wait until the Spring to see them sprout up and turn into beautiful flowers. Sometimes we need to be patient and wait for things to grow fully. Things like learning to play an instrument or travelling on a long car journey to get to France for a holiday.
Sometimes we need to wait and have patience in our Christian life and resist things that are quick and easy. Sometimes we have to wait a long time for God’s plan.
Being patient can be really hard sometimes – but it is always better to wait than to rush something through.
Take a look at this challenge video below with Annabelle and Will and you’ll see why! You could even try it out at home. All you need is a piece of paper and a timer and away you go.
Now check out this video where Katy tells us a story from the Bible all about someone who had to wait for a long time in tough circumstances. As they were patient, they knew that God was with them! She also bakes some shortbread and shows how waiting can really be worth it - so you’re not going to want to miss it!
Let’s Learn - The Message
We’ve been thinking about patience today… but where does patience come from? How do we get to be more patient? Annabelle talks to us about something in her life that she is having to wait for… see what she does to terms with it.
Let’s bake and wait
An important part of baking is learning to wait. If you make pastry, you need to let it chill in the fridge. If you bake bread, you need to let the yeast react with the gluten in the flour and create air to make the dough rise. This is called ‘letting the dough prove’. If you don’t do these things and just rush ahead, your pastry and bread will fail… Why not ask God to help you with the waiting bit - ask Him to grant you patience whilst you watch the oven! Here are a couple of recipes to put your waiting to the test. Maybe you could even bake something for a friend to make them smile this week.
Katy’s Shortbread
Ingredients
125g/4oz butter
55g/2oz caster sugar, plus extra to finish
180g/6oz plain flour
Method
Heat the oven 170C/150C fan/gas 3.
Put the flour, butter and sugar into a mixing bowl. Use your hands to combine the ingredients until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs, then squeeze until it comes together as a dough.
On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to ½ cm thick. Cut the dough into fingers and place on a lined baking tray. Use a fork to create imprints, then sprinkle with the remaining caster sugar.
Chill the dough in the fridge for 20 mins, then bake for 15-20 mins until golden brown. Remove the shortbread fingers from the oven and leave to cool on the tray for 10 mins.
Here’s a gluten-free recipe:
https://theprettybee.com/gluten-free-scotch-shortbread-three-ingredient-cookies/
Easy Bread
Ingredients
500g granary, strong wholewheat or white bread flour
7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp clear honey
Method
Tip the flour, yeast and salt into a large bowl and mix together with your hands. Stir 300ml hand-hot water with the oil and honey, then stir into the dry ingredients to make a soft dough.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 mins, until the dough no longer feels sticky, sprinkling with a little more flour if you need it.
Oil a 900g loaf tin and put the dough in the tin, pressing it in evenly. Put in a large plastic food bag and leave to rise for 1 hr, until the dough has risen to fill the tin and it no longer springs back when you press it with your finger.
Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Make several slashes across the top of the loaf with a sharp knife, then bake for 30-35 mins until the loaf is risen and golden. Tip it out onto a cooling rack and tap the base of the bread to check it is cooked. It should sound hollow. Leave to cool.
Let’s get creative
Science experiment: Growing ‘Patience Pretties’
This next science-related activity is based on Colossians 1:10-12.
“And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.”
You will need:
one cup of water
three cups of sugar
a glass jar
a paper clip
food colouring (optional)
a paper towel or coffee filter
wool or cotton string
Method
Ask an adult to boil a cup of water on the hob. Remove from the stove and stir in the three cups of sugar, one teaspoon at a time. (This is the first patience exercise.) As your children stir each teaspoon of sugar until it dissolves, talk about situations where it is hard to be patient. Encourage them to stir diligently. (If the sugar is not stirred in gradually, your “patience pretties” will not form properly.) Once sugar starts to clump at the bottom of the pot, enough has been added. Next, pour your sugar-saturated solution into a clear glass jar. If you wish, now is the time to use food colouring to tint the sugar water. To create a growing surface for the crystals, tie a wool or cotton string to the middle of a pencil. Tie a paper clip or similar sterile, lead-free weight to the other end of the string. Dangle the string into the sugar solution, making sure the weight is very close to, but not touching the bottom of the jar. Move the jar to a location in your house where it will be undisturbed, but can be observed closely. Cover the top with a paper towel or coffee filter to protect it from contamination. All that is left to do is watch and wait. About 24 hours later, you should see crystals forming. Crystals will continue to form until the sugar is used up. Finally, remove the crystals and allow them to dry. You can save them or eat them.
As you enjoy eating or admiring the crystals, take time to discuss with your children that it is God’s power in us that helps us to be patient. Just as the crystals did not grow right away, sometimes it takes time for the Fruit of the Spirit to grow in us. Explain that being patient is hard, but with God’s help it is possible. Talk about how being patient pleases God. Finish by praying with your children, asking God to send His Holy Spirit to grow patience in the hearts of your family members.
Paper Plate Flower Weaving
We learn from Jesus that seeds take time to grow. Seeds can grow into trees but also into beautiful flowers. Why not have a go at weaving your very own flowers by watching this video below. It’s quite a fiddly tricky craft project - it will require patience. So see how you get on. You’ll need a paper plate, different coloured wool and some scissors.
Let’s pray
Patience is something that we all need help with. Especially being patient with other people that we sometimes might find annoying. We’re going to take some time to be still for a moment and pray, asking that God would help us to have the fruit of patience grow within us as we spend time with Him.
Dear God,
Thank you that you love me and that you are always waiting to talk to me.
Forgive me for the times that I rush on past and forget about You or other people.
Please help me to be patient as You grow Your character within me and shape me more and more into the person You designed me to be.
Amen.
