When we think of the Fruits of the Spirits we easily visualize the more appealing fruits such as love, joy, peace, etc. But how about the not-so-appealing and more difficult fruits, such as showing kindness or self-control? And most importantly, long-suffering? Galatians 5:22-23 enlightens us about the vast array of different character traits privy to all of us through the Holy Spirit. It states: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
When unwanted problems or unwanted circumstances that seem too heavy to bear just keep on piling on us left and right, it can leave us in a when it rains, it pours mindset with one thing after another seemingly going awry.
This is a state that I and many others have or are currently finding themselves in. A state of long-suffering. Are we not Christian if we suffer through trials and afflictions? Does God not love me if He doesn’t bring me out or change my circumstance at every instance I ask him to save me? However, we all see throughout the Book of Job, that even a righteous man suffers through trials and tribulations (Job 14:1-2 NIV). The book even goes as far as to solidify that we all will endure trying times when it states, “Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. He springs up like a flower and withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure.”
But the more glaring questions we should be asking ourselves are: will we still serve God when these afflictions or trials arise within our lives and it doesn’t seem like God is in the midst with us? How do you get through? Will you get through? What do you do when that flame of hope is steadily dying out because you see no light at the end of your tunnel? These are the questions that can ring heavily throughout our minds. They have certainly been ringing over mine the last few months.
When my tribulations came upon me, I was shocked. From being on the brink of getting kicked out of my Master’s program to my own father having a life-threatening stroke and me being left to care for him, not being able to recognize the person that was in front of me due to the stroke’s side effects, and all the while still trying to cope with my own physical health crisis and mental well-being. I constantly kept uttering internally, “God for real, this is how you are doing me, what more can I take?” I went through anger, sadness, and every other negative emotion you could think of. My situations and circumstances hardened me, made me question my walk and faith, and made me ask: “is all this worth it?” These are just a few things we all may or may not do when our circumstances change for the worse. Yet the same question kept popping up in my soul, “Why me Lord, not someone else?”
Even now, through this season that I’m currently navigating, I can personally attest I’ve slowed down, my zeal for and in God has dipped from where I used to be. I’ve grown weary, yet something inside of me still hasn’t died out all the way completely no matter how small it currently is. My hope.
My hope and belief are that some way, somehow only God can bring me out of this season that I’m in. Sometimes in life, we come upon things that lawyers can’t argue their way out of, doctors can’t fix, and scientists can’t create. Something that only God can do. I guess our only job and option is to believe God can and He will.
I can’t magically make each and every one of our trials disappear with a snap of a finger. But I can speak to how just the utterance of God’s name is miraculous. It can turn a dark room light, it gives the lost direction, and most importantly, gives the hopeless hope once again.
(Romans 15:13 KJV) reminds us, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” This verse speaks greatly to trusting God in whatever circumstance or issue we may be enduring if we put our hope in God. This doesn’t mean everything in our life will be perfect or every issue we encounter will end in the way we want it, but it does mean that through it all, we can endure due to hope continually placed in God.
