When Your Patience is Tested
A devotional by Erica J. Hill
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
—Galatians 5:22–23 (NIV)
Some days I must remind myself that I need the fruit of the Spirit before I even walk into work, especially when I know my patience may be tested by coworkers who try every bit of it.
The old me would have quickly told them where to go. But once I began seriously following God, I realized something had to change. Many days I find myself praying Lord, help me display the fruit of Your Spirit today. Because it is often in the smallest daily frustrations that our spiritual fruit is truly revealed.
The world has a way of testing us repeatedly, tempting us to respond in ways that contradict the fruit God is growing within us. In Galatians, the Apostle Paul describes the fruit of the Holy Spirit. These nine virtues together form the evidence of the Holy Spirit working within a believer. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are all part of the same spiritual fruit that should be evident in the life of a believer.
Years ago, if someone spoke to me the wrong way, I had plenty of sharp words ready to say. Now I pray that God will hold my tongue and allow His Spirit to guide my words. Without His help, I might still have something unkind to say.
If I am honest, forbearance is the fruit of the Spirit I struggle with the most. I once believed that if someone mistreated me, I should instantly clapback. But Scripture teaches that forbearance means patiently and lovingly enduring the faults of others without retaliation. My words could be cutting, and in trying to bring someone else down, I only ended up lowering myself. God had to teach me that winning an argument is not the same as reflecting the character of Jesus Christ.
But what about the people we must see every day, the ones who drain our time and energy or seem determined to disrupt our peace? Those moments are when the fruit of the Spirit matters most.
Over time, God began to teach me to see people differently. Sometimes the person who talks constantly is not trying to be irritating; they may simply be lonely. The one who complains often may still be learning how to practice gratitude.
Displaying the fruit of the Spirit can look as simple as giving someone five extra minutes to talk when you are ready to rush out the door. It is not about preaching to others or quoting Scripture at them. It is about allowing the Spirit to shape our responses. When we remain steady in Christlike character, others will begin to see that fruit in our lives.
This does not mean allowing people to ignore your boundaries. Healthy boundaries are important. Sometimes displaying the fruit means respectfully saying, “I’m not comfortable discussing that.” Other times it means calmly addressing an offense or examining our own hearts to understand why certain behaviors trigger us so deeply. I have also noticed that the fruit of the Spirit becomes hardest to display when I am tired or overwhelmed. When I take on too much, lose sleep, or try to control everything according to my own plans, my patience grows thin.
That is when I must remind myself to slow down and lean on God instead of my own strength. When the Spirit is at work in us, love replaces irritation and patience replaces frustration. What begins in our hearts becomes visible in our lives, the very fruit Paul describes in Galatians 5:22-23. The fruit of the Spirit is not something we produce on our own; it grows as we remain connected to God and allow His Spirit to shape our hearts day by day. And when the Spirit leads our responses, others don’t just hear our words—they see Christ in the way we live.
Food for thought:
Which part of the fruit of the Spirit do you find most difficult to display in your daily life?
Let's Pray:
Lord, help me to reflect the fruit of Your Spirit in every situation. When I feel impatient, remind me to slow down and respond with love and gentleness. Guard my words, guide my actions, and teach me to see others with compassion. Shape my character so that my life reflects You. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.
~*~
Songs of Reflection #1: “I Need You to Survive” by Hezekiah Walker. Listen to it here.
Songs of Reflection #2: “Refiner” by Maverick City Music. Listen to it here.
Songs of Reflection #3: “Spirit Lead Me” by Influence Music & Michael Ketterer. Listen to it here.
~*~
Author Bio:
Erica J. Hill is a wife, mother, and proud grandmother living in Georgia.
With a career spanning both elementary education and higher education, she has served as an elementary and middle grade English Language Arts (ELA) teacher and now works as an administrative assistant in higher education. Currently pursuing her master’s degree in Instructional Technology and Media Center Specialist, Erica’s love for learning and teaching runs deep.
Raised in the Southern Baptist tradition, she has faithfully served as a Sunday School teacher and now as one of the youth directors at her church. A lifelong writer at heart, Erica once set her passion aside to pursue other career goals—but recently felt God’s undeniable tug to pick up her pen again, this time to write for His Kingdom.
She is currently working on her first book, Worthy. Whole. Woman. It is a devotional that she hopes will be an encouraging resource created to uplift and empower women—especially women of color—to walk confidently in their God-given identity.
Through her words, Erica blends faith in God, personal reflection, and practical wisdom to inspire women to heal, grow, and embrace the fullness of who God created them to be.
Originally from Atlanta, Erica now calls Macon County home, where she lives with her husband and children. In her free time, you’ll usually find Erica curled up with a good book, working on DIY projects, or planning her next travel adventure.
~*~
Connect with Erica:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leahsgrace2931/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leahsgrace2931/
