You also, be patient.
James 5:8

We have all experienced the patience of God. Sometimes we even joke, “Be patient with me—God’s not finished with me yet!” But while we want others to be patient with us, we’re not always willing to extend that same patience to them.

However, if we are filled with the Holy Spirit, patience—or long-suffering—will be one of the fruits of that Spirit (Galatians 5:22). We are exhorted in Ephesians 4:2–3:

“With all lowliness and gentleness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

If we are motivated by the love that God has poured into our hearts, then that love should be displayed in our relationships. Two of the traits mentioned in the “love chapter” (1 Corinthians 13) are: “Love is patient” and “Love suffers long.”

Paul understood how vital this was. In Colossians 1:9–11, he prays that believers would be strengthened for “all patience and long-suffering with joy.” Later, in Colossians 3:12–13, he writes:

“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another… even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.”

Maybe one reason we see so many broken homes, fractured assemblies, and strained relationships is that we’ve lost sight of just how patient the God of patience really is. Perhaps that’s why we’re so quick to discard or disregard one another.

Anchor For Today:
May we come to see Him more and more as the God of Patience—and may He help us reflect that same patience toward one another.