The hearty durian is a fruit of renowned nutritional value and equally notorious smell. Though never interacting with one myself, the consensus is they smell like a mix between gym socks and ripe cheese. To me it is clear that, of all the Fruit of the Spirit, Patience would be the durian. Few things in the world are better for you but boy, does it stink.
I. Can’t. Wait. That phrase could be used to define my life in a general sense. I couldn’t wait to graduate from high school, I couldn’t wait to graduate from college, I couldn’t wait to marry my wife. Obviously I did wait in these situations because I was forced to, but you can guarantee that if I was given a free fast-forward through some of those times I would have taken it.
And I would be worse off for it. My over-a-year long engagement to Lindsey felt torturous at times, but if I had skipped through it I would have missed how we grew closer through the mutual frustration, and the foundation-laying of our future. And the day when we finally started our lives together would have been less sweet.
In particular, recently I have struggled with having patience in regards to my career; wanting to skip forward to a job that I dream of rather than working my way there, paying my dues and learning along the way. The obvious problem is that I’m not yet ready for what I want, and if I was thrust there now I would just be in over my head. Knowing that doesn’t make the waiting much easier though.
What does is probably the sweeter of the Fruits of the Spirit: Joy. My dad has recently discovered the importance of “living in the moment,” and I have been trying it as well. It is my opinion that Joy allows us to live in the moment with more content than we otherwise could. The root of Joy, the knowledge of our eternal security in Christ, allows us to be at peace in the moment, and enjoy the times you are in for what they are: landmarks on your walk to where you might actually want to be. Joy, to me, is what plugs my nose so I can stomach the stinkier of the fruits, though equally important, Patience.