Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Parents have to learn patience while they raise their children. Children also have to learn patience while under the instruction of a parent. The parent has a lot of life experience and typically has a long-term plan for their children. Good parenting starts with rules, rewards and discipline. Three-year olds don’t get to make many independent decisions. They need to learn to obey authority and to understand the natural rewards and consequences of their behaviors. This is done in moderation until they get older and can be reasoned with. Then these children are cautiously given more responsibility. For example, after a year of tutelage, my middle son is now, at 11, mowing lawns by himself and earning his own money.

Later, as they show more maturity and dependability, they are given more responsibility. My oldest daughter watches the kids by herself overnight, manages her own time and budget as an 18-year old. At 11, she could have tried to force these freedoms and responsibilities, but we would not have given it to her, because she would not have been ready. She could have caused harm to those she was watching, or to herself.

In essence, when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord (he is in charge going forward) and Savior (he paid the price to redeem us from sin’s consequences), we are starting a new life. We don’t have the spiritual maturity right away, instead we gain it by faithfully following over time. And we get to learn lots of patience along the way. The Spirit of God has plans for each of us that are incorporated into a Grand Master Plan of redemption, love and relationship with him over time. When we decide to take matters into our own hands, we mess up God’s plan to teach us to rely on him and grow. It’s OK, he’s patient. He will just set up another time to teach us the same lesson.

But if we walk in step with God’s Spirit, we can continually join him in the work he IS doing. This is way more exciting and rewarding than getting out in front of him and planning our work for him. Why? Because he will not join us unless we submit to his plans and his work first! So we are called to be patient and walk in step with God’s Spirit.

Lord, thank you for your ways which are far superior to my ways. Teach me to trust you and be patient in waiting for the resolution of some things, while I join you in your work on the great things you are already doing around me.