Patience: The Fruit of a Grounded Soul
Guest Speaker Anson Thibult discusses Patience as taught in Proverbs 16 and other passages. The core message emphasizes that patience is wisdom, a fruit of the spirit, and a divine calling, arguing that our inner life, and its foundation, dictates our outer expression of patience. Anson concludes by offering two practical applications: "Bible before Phone" and dedicating an eight-hour period to soul care, stressing the importance of a strong spiritual foundation for cultivating patience.
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Study Guide: The Inner Life and Patience
I. Core Concepts and Speaker's Main Argument
The speaker, Anson, argues that our inner life and its foundation dictate our patience. He posits that an individual's outward display of patience (or lack thereof) is a direct reflection of their internal state and what their life is built upon. He supports this by examining patience through three scriptural lenses: as wisdom, as a fruit of the Spirit, and as a calling. He then emphasizes the importance of soul care and building one's life on the foundation of Jesus to cultivate true patience.
II. Key Scriptural References and Their Interpretations
Proverbs 14:29: "Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick tempered displays folly."
Interpretation: Patience is presented as a form of wisdom and understanding, rooted in God's own character. Impatience, conversely, is characterized as folly. Anson highlights that true understanding goes beyond mere knowledge; it involves a "full grasp of the scenario," akin to God's comprehensive understanding.
Galatians 5:22-23 (Fruits of the Spirit): "But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance [patience], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
Interpretation: Patience is identified as a natural "outflow" or characteristic of someone living in the Spirit and being transformed by God. Anson contrasts this with the modern "instant mindset" and cultural conditioning towards impatience, suggesting that cultivating patience is a battle against worldly pressures.
Colossians 3:12: "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience."
Interpretation: Patience is presented as a "calling" – an attribute that believers are divinely called to "put on." This calling stems from a foundational understanding of being "God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved," implying that this pursuit of patience is a response to God's love, not a means to earn it. It also underscores that patience doesn't come naturally and requires discipline and practice.
Matthew 7 (Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders): This passage describes building a house on rock versus sand, illustrating the importance of foundation.
Interpretation: Anson uses this to emphasize that a stable inner life, capable of patience, must be built on the "firm foundation" of Jesus. Both lives will encounter "storms" (struggles, impatience), but only those grounded in Christ will withstand them.
III. The Concept of Patience
Definition: Anson defines patience as "the capacity to navigate situations – pain, suffering, sorrow, struggle – and your response is one of patience... where our emotions don't over boil or our emotions don't control, but we're able to respond with kindness, respect and patience."
Origin: Patience originates from the character of God, who is depicted as the "most patient person, patient being in the world." Examples include God's patience with Israel and Jesus' patience with His disciples.
Challenges in Modern Culture: The speaker argues that contemporary society, with its "instant mindset" (e.g., immediate information, microwaves, car horns), conditions people to be impatient. This cultural pressure makes practicing patience a "battle."
Difficulty: Showing patience is "far harder" than reacting out of temper or emotion, especially in the moment, even though retrospectively, we often recognize patience as the better response.
IV. The Inner Life and Its Revelation
Relationship between Inner and Outer Life: Our "outer life" (actions, communication, responses) "largely is dictated by our inner life" and "reveals our inner life." Examples range from a child's hyperactivity reflecting their internal state to personal irritability when tired and stressed.
Impact on Patience: If the inner life is in "turmoil" or not properly cared for, it "will inevitably impact the way we respond and the lack of patience or the hurry that we feel in our lives."
Soul Care: This is crucial for cultivating patience. It involves activities that genuinely fill and restore the soul, such as:
Spending time with God (prayer, solitude, quietness)
Engaging in Christ-like community
Spending time with friends, playing
Observing Sabbath (rest, refilling)
Physical rest (naps)
Crying out to God when at unrest
Counter-Cultural Nature of Soul Care: The world encourages constant busyness, upward mobility, and a restless state of soul. Soul care, especially disciplined soul care with structure, goes against this grain.
V. The Importance of Foundation
Building on Jesus: Anson emphasizes building one's "foundation" on Jesus, His truth, love, words, and calling. This stable grounding allows individuals to be "grounded and stable in him."
Consequences of Other Foundations: Building life on work, family, success, or money, without Jesus as the center, will lead to an "inner life... in turmoil" and a struggle to have patience.
Patience in God's Process: God "does not hurry in his development of our Christian life." Growth in patience is a journey requiring forgiveness, seeking God, and trusting Him to complete His work, even if it's not on our desired timeline. This understanding helps combat shame when immediate results aren't seen.
VI. Practical Applications (Practices)
Bible Before Phone: Start the day with God's Word and prayer before engaging with external stimuli like news, emails, or social media. This sets a foundation of peace and intentionality for the day.
Eight-Hour Soul Care Period: Dedicate an uninterrupted eight-hour block in the week solely to "investing in your soul."
Rules/Guidelines:
Not broken into small chunks (e.g., 8 one-hour periods).
Minimize technology (e.g., no phone).
Not for productive tasks (e.g., chores, work, meal prep) unless they genuinely fill the soul. The focus is solely on rejuvenation and connecting with God.
Quiz: The Inner Life and Patience
Instructions: Answer each question in 2-3 sentences.
What is Anson's primary argument regarding patience and the inner life?
How does Anson define "patience" in the context of the sermon?
According to Proverbs 14:29, what is the relationship between patience and understanding?
Why does Anson suggest that cultivating patience is particularly challenging in modern culture?
How does Anson illustrate the concept of "patience as a fruit of the Spirit" from Galatians 5:22-23?
What does Anson mean when he says patience is a "calling" based on Colossians 3:12?
Explain the connection Anson draws between one's "inner life" and their "outer life."
What is "soul care," and why is it important for developing patience?
According to Anson, what should be the "foundation" for our inner life, and why is this critical for patience?
Describe one practical "practice" Anson suggests for cultivating patience.
Quiz Answer Key
Anson's primary argument is that our inner life and what it is built upon directly dictate our patience. He believes that our outward display of patience is a direct reflection of our internal state and foundational beliefs.
Anson defines patience as the capacity to navigate difficult situations like pain, suffering, or struggle, with a response that demonstrates kindness, respect, and emotional control rather than overboiling or being controlled by emotions.
Proverbs 14:29 states that "whoever is patient has great understanding." Anson interprets this to mean that patience is not just knowledge but a full, spiritual grasp of a scenario, reflecting God's own comprehensive understanding.
Anson suggests that modern culture is particularly challenging for cultivating patience due to its "instant mindset," where people are conditioned to expect immediate results and information from technology and daily conveniences, leading to widespread impatience.
Anson illustrates "patience as a fruit of the Spirit" by explaining that it is a natural "outflow" or character trait of someone who is living in the Spirit and being transformed by God from the inside out. It's an attribute of God that believers desire to have.
When Anson says patience is a "calling" from Colossians 3:12, he means that believers are called to intentionally "clothe themselves" with patience. This calling is rooted in their identity as "God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved," making the pursuit of patience a response to God's love.
Anson draws a direct connection between the inner and outer life, stating that our outer actions and responses are largely dictated by and reveal our inner state. He uses examples like a child's behavior reflecting their internal energy or personal irritability stemming from stress.
Soul care refers to intentionally nurturing and filling one's soul, which is essential for developing patience. It involves practices like spending time with God, engaging in faith-based community, rest, and other activities that genuinely rejuvenate the inner self, rather than simply escaping or being productive.
According to Anson, the "foundation" for our inner life should be Jesus. This is critical for patience because if our inner life is not grounded in Him, it will be in turmoil, making it extremely difficult to maintain stability and patience when facing life's struggles.
One practical practice Anson suggests is "Bible before Phone." This means starting your day by engaging with God's Word and prayer before checking your phone, emails, or news, allowing God's truth to frame your day rather than worldly distractions. (Another acceptable answer would be the "Eight-Hour Soul Care Period.")
Essay Format Questions
Anson asserts that "our inner life and what it's built upon will dictate our patience." Discuss how this central theme is developed throughout his sermon, referencing his explanations of patience as wisdom, a fruit, and a calling, and how each connects to the inner life and its foundation.
Analyze the role of modern culture in hindering patience according to Anson. How does he contrast the "instant mindset" with spiritual principles, and what implications does this have for individuals seeking to cultivate patience?
The concept of "soul care" is presented as crucial for developing patience. Explain what Anson means by soul care, provide examples, and discuss why he believes it often goes against the "natural pull of a life without God" in contemporary society.
Anson draws parallels between God's patience and our own journey of growth. Discuss how his understanding of God's patience (with Israel, disciples, and us) encourages believers in their pursuit of patience, especially when they experience setbacks or a lack of immediate progress.
Choose two of Anson's practical applications ("Bible before Phone" or "Eight-Hour Soul Care Period"). Describe each practice in detail and explain how, according to Anson's overall message, these specific actions contribute to building a stable inner life and fostering patience.
Glossary of Key Terms
Patience: The capacity to navigate challenging situations (pain, suffering, sorrow, struggle) by responding with kindness, respect, and emotional control, rather than reacting out of temper or unchecked emotions.
Inner Life: Refers to an individual's spiritual, emotional, and mental state; their internal world, thoughts, feelings, and beliefs.
Outer Life: The outward manifestation of an individual's inner life, including their actions, behaviors, communications, and responses to external circumstances.
Folly: Lack of good sense or wisdom; foolishness. Used in Proverbs 14:29 to contrast with the understanding associated with patience.
Book of Wisdom: A common reference for the biblical book of Proverbs, which contains many teachings on wise living.
Fruit of the Spirit: Character traits or attributes (including love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) that are a natural "outflow" or manifestation of someone living in and being transformed by the Holy Spirit, as described in Galatians 5:22-23.
Forbearance: Often used synonymously with patience in biblical translations; the quality of being patient and tolerant.
Instant Mindset: A cultural phenomenon in modern society where people are conditioned to expect immediate gratification, information, and results, often due to technological advancements and fast-paced living.
Sabbath: A day of rest or cessation from work, traditionally observed by Jews and some Christians, rooted in God's example of resting on the seventh day of creation. Anson refers to it as a time for "slowness and patience" and soul care.
Calling: A divine invitation or summons to a particular way of life, purpose, or characteristic. Anson specifically refers to patience as a calling for believers to "put on."
Soul Care: Intentional practices and disciplines aimed at nourishing, restoring, and strengthening one's spiritual, mental, and emotional well-being.
Foundation (Spiritual): The underlying principles, beliefs, and relationship upon which an individual builds their life. Anson stresses that Jesus should be this firm foundation, akin to building a house on rock.
Bible Before Phone: A practical application suggested by Anson; the discipline of starting one's day with engagement in God's Word and prayer before checking electronic devices or news.
