Patience

Galatians 5:22-23

 Patience: a daily and gritty fruit

• Long-suffering
• Refers to difficult people.
• Used to describe God.

                 Exodus 34:6
                Jonah 4:2
                2 Peter 3:8-9
                1 Timothy 1:12-16

• A redemptive waiting.

Patience: a family characteristic.

• Displayed in our willingness to forgive. Matt. 6:14-15
• Displayed in our offering people grace. (Peter) John 1:40-42

Take Home Idea: Our God is a patient God and He is making patient children.

"Patience" Small Group Questions

Galatians 5:22-23; Jonah 4:2; 2 Peter 3:8-9; 1 Timothy 1:12-16

Opening:
When you were young and told, “Wait until your birthday”, how did you respond?
What is the most difficult thing for you about having patience?
Review Pastor Joel's sermon and Take Home Idea. What struck you about the sermon? What do you have questions about?

Dig: Read Galatians 5:22-23
Compare patience with the first three qualities on the list – love, joy, peace. In what ways is this fruit different than the others? In what way is patience a subset of “love”?

Read Jonah 4:1-3
What do you think was Jonah’s emotional state after preaching to Ninevah?
How did Jonah witness the Lord as “gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love”? Does it surprise you that he “knew” God would respond this way towards the Ninevites? Why or why not?

Read 2 Peter 3:8-9
What frustration does God’s patience produce? How is God’s patience a benefit (also refer to vs. 15)?
How does God’s view of time differ from ours? How does that help us understand God’s patience?

Read 1 Timothy 1:12-16
What was Paul like before he came to know Christ?
How did God’s patience benefit Paul? For what purpose was God patient with Paul?

Reflect:
For what purpose is God patient with us? Where do you see God’s patience? How does that effect you?
What purpose does God have in developing this quality of patience in us?
How can you live by the Spirit and grow in your patience this week?
Close this time sharing and praying together as a group.