By DANNY MINTON

An old train was crawling slowly through the countryside when it suddenly came to a complete stop. The solitary traveler in the carriage, a salesman, asked the conductor why they had stopped. The conductor said, “Nothing to be concerned about, sir. There’s a cow on the tracks.” About ten minutes later, the train started again, but after creeping along for only another couple of kilometers, it again ground to a halt. “This is just a brief delay,” said the conductor. “We’ll get going again soon.” The frustrated salesman asked, “What is it this time? Did we catch up to the cow again?”

“Are we there yet?” These words resonate in the back of my mind as I think of days years ago, traveling the 37-mile trip northward to Howe from Plano. The trip would take approximately 45 minutes, and the “Are we there yet?” question would start to be heard about halfway. The time was before all the technology we have today to keep the kids busy. My great-grandfather came to Texas as a child in a covered wagon. A trip that distance could take 2 to 4 days. It might take months to reach your destination. I wonder if my great-grandfather asked, “Are we there yet?” after a couple of months into the journey? 

We live in a world that lacks patience, patience with how things are happening, longsuffering with those who don’t move as fast, forbearance with those we feel are moving too slowly, and frustration with those who drag their feet. Our first phone was a party line with two or three other households on the same number. We often had to wait until someone else was off the phone to use it ourselves. After our football games, the coaches would take the game film, put it on a bus to Dallas to be developed, and then pick it up on Saturday morning for us to view. Long-distance communication was primarily done by mail, not email, letters, and cards through the post office. I have a box of letters from my wife with our communication while I was in college before we were married. Life moved at a slower pace, and you had to learn to be patient, especially with people.

In Galatians 5, Paul lists the word “μακροθυμíα” (makrothumía), which most translations translate as patience. Unfortunately, when we think of patience, we primarily think of the meaning of calm or calmly waiting. However, the word is sometimes interpreted as “longsuffering” or “forbearing.” To understand what Paul means, we must look at it in view of all the other words on the fruit of the Spirit list. Have you noticed that it’s not “fruits” but “fruit?” Each word listed is part of the whole and ties together to make us more productive followers.

We are asked to be patient with one another. Love, peace, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control are all part of showing patience and longsuffering with one another. It often means waiting for others to catch up with us. God is our supreme example of patience. He walked with His people in the wilderness for forty years, listening to their gripes, whining, and complaining, yet He stayed with them. He listened to Moses as he gave excuse after excuse for not wanting to go to Egypt but remained by his side. Over and over in the Old Testament, He would give His people chance after chance to follow His ways. Even though He became frustrated, He would wait for them to turn around and return to Him.

In the same manner, God asks us to be patient and longsuffering with people who deal with the struggles of life. Not everyone gets over setbacks in life easily. Some who lose a loved one can move on quickly, while others take time. Some handle illness more easily than others. There is no timeframe for someone to move forward in their life. Since we are on the outside and can’t honestly see their inner struggles, we must learn to be patient. By not telling people what they should be doing but treating them with goodness, kindness, love, and gentleness can give them the strength to overcome.

In the same sense, we must be patient with God when seeking His help. God sees further into the future than we can. Whether dealing with others or with ourselves and God, we must move at His pace, not ours. David was anointed king years before he took the throne. The Israelites marched around Jericho for a week, waiting for the Lord to give them the city. The apostles followed Jesus for three years before fully understanding everything He told them. For centuries, God promised the Israelites a savior. For centuries, we have been waiting for His return. It will come when God is ready. We are asked to share Him with the world until that time comes.

“Are we there yet?” We are all taking life’s journey together. Some will be stopped by a cow on the railroad tracks. Others will have to wait their turn on the phone. “Are we there yet?” Those of us whose lives are going well must be patient with those who move at a different pace. When we embody the fullness of the fruit of the Spirit, we make it possible for all of us to complete the journey. “Are we there yet?” “Almost, just fifteen minutes,” my dad would say. A few minutes later, we would come to Van Alstyne, 8 minutes from Howe, and we knew he was right; we were almost there. 

If we are patient with one another, we will all get there together. Remember, God’s time frame is not ours. It is essential to give Him time to work. When we do that, we can truthfully say, “We’re almost there.”

Danny Minton is a former Elder and minister at Southern Hills Church of Christ