(Excerpts from: “A Word about Words”)
Galatians 5:22-23 tells us about the fruit which is cultivated in the life of those who are trusting Christ.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Nine aspects of the fruit-bearing life are mentioned by Paul. The fourth one he speaks of is “longsuffering.” Longsuffering is simply an older word meaning patience.
Longsuffering, is steadfastness in obedience to God despite pressure to deny Him. The New Testament kind of patience is not to be confused with simple endurance. When trouble strikes, some folks are too lazy to react, others are too proud, some may be insensitive, or some even weigh the long-term advantage over short-term pain. Real longsuffering depends on our knowledge of God and His plan, our faith that He is at work in human affairs, and on our hope in all that God is doing and shall do.
James 5.7: Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. 8: Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
9: Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door. 10: Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. 11: Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
Some examples of patience are the farmer (James 5:7). He cannot hurry the harvest, but rather he must wait for the crop to mature. We, too, must wait on God’s time. Then there are the prophets who suffered for their godly living and fearless preaching; and Job, who did not see the actions behind his circumstances (James 5:10-11). David refused to kill King Saul, knowing that God had things well in hand. These all discovered patience.
Christians develop longsuffering through experiencing trouble (Romans 5:3). Challenges come to each person. Yet patience comes through realizing that the situation is not all that bad. 1 Corinthians 10:13 reminds us that God gives us grace and strength to meet each situation as it comes. We know too that help does come (2 Timothy 4:16-18).
17:At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
17: Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
18: And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
As God stood with and strengthened Paul, He also stands with us, and will ultimately bring us safely home to Glory.
Jesus Christ is our perfect example of patience. He trusted the Father’s timetable of events, he was patient even with those who afflicted him, and he was ever so patient with others’ weaknesses. Jesus reflected the Father’s patience with all humanity, as shown in His longsuffering with Cain, the world before the Flood, Israel’s misdeeds, and the delay before the Second Coming and the final judgment.