And they're going to be.

And advances in technology have accelerated the pace of daily life travel is faster communication entertainment everything is faster and easier than ever before so why does it seem like this has cultivated greater

impatience? We're going to think through that today on Truth for Life as Alistair

beg continues our study on the fruit of the spirit. We're looking at Galatians chapter 5.

God is a patient, long-suffering, forgiving God, and part of the fruit that he creates in the lives of those who redeems, reveals itself in that very characteristic.

Now, from its definition, if you like, to its development. Well, how does this

develop? Well, it's not developed on a deck chair, that's for sure. Patience is not something

where you get a little book, or there's a chapter somewhere, and it says seven keys to the

production of patience. Those books abound. You may find benefit in them. I'm

not sure. I'm sure there's helpful things in parts. But that is not how the New Testament

treats it. Remember, this is not something that is external to us that we're trying to develop

from the outside in, but rather it is that which is worked from the inside out. And if you turn with me to James,

I'll use the opening verses of James to help us with this notion of development. James, the

brother of Jesus, is writing a very, very practical letter, and he starts off very

quickly in this realm of faith, faith in the Lord Jesus, when you are following him, when

you are faced by challenges, counted all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you meet trials of various kinds.

Now, what James is actually saying here is very straightforward.

Trials for the believer should not be regarded, first of all, as enemies or as intruders, but as friends. That seems immediately paradoxical, doesn't it?

That trials, we want to try and distance ourselves from them and difficulties and so on.

We set up our lives to make sure that we've removed as much of that to the perimeter to the perimeter of our lives as we possibly

can. James says, no, think about it differently. You should view these trials in a very different way.

You know that the testing of your faith produces patience, and let patients have its full effect.

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