Fruit of the Spirit - Patience

So...did you have patience during my time away with these lovely scripture posts?  Hope so!

Today begins the study of the fourth fruit of the spirit: Patience.

Those living today have created a world of instant gratification.  Technology, albeit a wonderful tool, has dumbed down society and made us impatient.

No longer does the phone ring and we wonder, "who's calling?"  We have caller ID, we have a voicemail system to take the message, and we have a mobile phone that allows the person to track us down further.  My sister, for example, has been known to call each number 5 times before she gives up.  No message left at either number, and she then worries if I'm okay.  Maybe I'm on the toilet, maybe I'm in the shower, or maybe, just maybe I don't feel like talking.

One of my favorite Bible verses (maybe it is because there is a song with similar lyrics) is Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.  These verses speak of being patient for things to happen on His time, not ours.

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.