Beyond the Weekend

September 16 | Endurance and Patience

September 16, 2016

Colossians 1.11-14

Fruit follows faith, but there are times when fruit takes time. One reason we fail to produce life-giving fruit is because we just grow discouraged and impatient. Life gets hard. Paul knows life is difficult. In verse 11 he prays for the people to be strengthened and to have endurance (dealing with impossible situations) and patience (dealing with impossible people).

Patience and endurance are themselves evidence of fruit in our life. Paul includes patience in his list of the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5.22-23a, “But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (The Living Bible).

Patience and endurance are important because they help us produce other fruit. Becoming a person of love, joy, and peace often takes time as we partner with God’s Spirit to produce growth. Patience and endurance help us stick with the growth even when life gets hard.

As we begin our fall series, The New You, read through the book of Colossians in one sitting this weekend. In your companion journal, note repeated words and ideas. Identify some important themes and underline what you find new or compelling.
(To print a PDF version, click here.)

 

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