Patience That Endures

Patience has proven to be at serious threat in our current world. As Christians, we now must fight this instant gratification mindset that permeates modern western culture. If we wish to do something about it, I think it prudent to see what patience looks like in the character of God.

Indeed, God has had to have incredible patience with His people, and He is often described as being ‘slow to anger’ (Ex 34:6, Jon 4:2, Ps. 86:15,103:8,145:8). A more notable occurrence of God’s patience is in Isaiah 30 when despite the countless transgressions of His people, His response is to wait, “that He may be gracious unto you.” (Isa 30:18). God is delaying some level of judgement because of His rich love and mercy.

Being slow to anger beautifully fits a definition of patience: Patience is “2 : manifesting forbearance [a refraining from the enforcement of something] under provocation or strain”. Bringing it back to the New Testament where we learn about the Fruit of the Spirit, there is a Greek word closely paralleling this part of God’s character. In Galatians 5:22 where Paul lists the aspects of the Fruit, the word translated to Patience is Makrothymía, which means to be longsuffering, but it can also be defined as “long-tempered”, that is, slow to anger.

Indeed, the patience of the Lord is an integral part of our Salvation. Look at how patience is exemplified in the saving of Saul:

“13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. ... 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.” (1 Tim 1:13,16 NIV).

Not only was it the immense patience of Jesus that was integral to save Saul, but also that it might be an example to the rest of us; If He has such patience with the worst of sinners, He will surely have it on us as well (see 2 Pet 3:15, Rom 9:22-23).

With a better view on this quality, what does it look like in our life? First off, we know that garnering it cannot be performative (Rom 11:6). This is not something that we do on our own, by our own strength; it is not a fruit that we manifest, but part of the Fruit of the Spirit. By its very nature, it is not something we bring about, but an outpouring of the Spirit within us. I want to draw our attention to another great Greek word that encapsulates this kind of patience in the Believer. The word hupomoné means “a remaining behind, a patient enduring”. Hupomoné is used as the application of patience, and to encourage such an application, see what James has to say about it:

 “3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance [hupomoné]. 4 Let perseverance [hupomoné] finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (Ja 1:3-4 NIV).

Keep faith in God, and in its testing, the Spirit will produce patience in us. Let us take joy, then, in our suffering (Jam 1:2)! I have not suffered well in my life, but this passage is once again a reminder that amid trials, God asks me to turn to Him. He is the well that never runs dry, and by His grace, when we keep the Faith, the Fruit of the Spirit will grow within us.