A house fire will eventually go out on its own. But the hard work comes with preventative measures - keeping the fire from starting in the first place. Most Christians think they show patience when the internal heat eventually goes away. Rather, such quenching is the natural degression of the flame as teh flame sparking event grows more distant from the concern of the individual. This happens faster or slower depending on the personality's response to or thought processes concerning a certain event. But the flame itself, though not necessarily displayed outwardly, is still spiritually destructive and sinful. Patience is the spiritual fruit that prevents a flame from appearing altogether when a spark occurs. It is making the house flame resistant by nature. This quality grows in a person as Christ imparts to that individual His mind and heart. "Let patience have her perfect work." To be perfect is not to be relative to the extremity of circumstances.