Dear Christian, May You Be Patient in Your Suffering
The Patience of God
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13:4, ESV, that “Love is patient.”
Patience, or long-suffering; the opposite of a quick temper. Picture patience as a long candle wick slowly burning.
In the Old Testament, this was one of the favorite characteristics of the Lord: “a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger” (Ex. 34:6). Consider the patience and forbearance of God toward the Israelites and the other nations in the Bible.
The Israelites wandering in the wilderness for 40 years and continually grumbled and sinned against the Lord (Psalm 106:13-15). God permitted the Amalekites to live and rebel against Him for 400 years — longer than the US has been a country (Gen. 15:16)!
It is not small act of God’s love that He sustains billions of people everyday who despise and reject Him. The immensity of God’s patience is seen in that He created the whole universe in six days, yet He grants many unrepentant unbelievers life and joy for decades and decades in life.
The patience of God is not forever, but the glory of His patience will resound forever.
The Patience of the Lord Jesus Christ
And even greater still, we must consider the patience of the Lord Jesus Christ, the God-man. The infinite became an infant; the Creator of time, lived in time for 33 years. He patiently suffered, endured hardship, and died in faith in His Father’s perfect providence and plan.
Consider the love of Christ toward many of us prior to responding to the gospel. Why did Christ extend mercy to you, to any of us, as undeserving as we are?
1 Timothy 1:16, ESV, “But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.”
Every Christian is a trophy of Christ’s power and patience.
Christ’s patience toward us is great. He whom angels cannot look upon because of his radiance and beauty, we can yawn at and can go hours or days without thinking of him.
The patience of the Lord toward us is remarkable. God’s desire is to melt the hearts of unbelievers with His patient love. May we glory in the Lord of patience.
Growing in Patience
First, we must be bearers of patience which only happens as a result of the new birth (Galatians 5:22-23). And here are some practical ways that we may grow in patience as reflectors of God’s patience toward us:
- Recognize God’s complete sovereignty and providence in your life is ordering the timing of your life, from mirco to macro. By faith, happily submit to God’s governing. Your entire life is governed by God; thus, why do we foolishly kick and fuss?
- Remember your need for God’s patience and extend that same expectation to fellow brothers and sisters, friends and family. We expect others to be patient with us, we must be patient with them — as God in Christ was and is toward us.
- Repent of selfish standards of your gauge of patience, use God’s measurement of patience as your new measuring rod. When you blow it, or are about to — repent of your impatience. Fight your impatience with the patience of Christ.
- Realize pockets of patience in life and the times where the Lord shows you your lack of patience. When you are waiting in line, in traffic, or in the waiting room — seek the Lord, slow down, and redeem the time. In those moments pray, rest, meditate on Scripture, and wait upon the Lord.
By God’s grace, may we be patient in suffering, patient in life, patient toward others, and fight our impatience with the perfect patience of Christ’s love towards us.
