Years ago, it was almost unheard of to experience rude verbal insults and physical threats simply by being cautious and obeying traffic laws when you drive. Now, it’s almost a given that if you’re on the road for any length of time, you’ll experience some form of road rage. Whether it’s from poor coping mechanisms, increased pressures of life, or just a bent towards aggressive behavior, it seems the fuses of many people are becoming shorter. We’re a want it right now!’ society where everyone demands things on the double. It seems the practice of patience is looked upon as something people used to do back in the day. This certainly isn’t pleasing to God, and no matter how convenient and modern our society becomes, demonstrating patience will always be a requirement for the follower of Christ. It will always be the mark of true spiritual maturity and growth in him.
There’s a saying that each generation becomes wiser, yet weaker. Some would argue that this isn’t the most positive outlook, but all we need to do is take notice and look around. Our ingenuity and technological advances are something to marvel, and we owe it all to the Lord Jesus Christ, he has set us free in mind, heart, and spirit. Everyday we should be giddy with joy and bubbling over with gratitude for what God has done through His wonderful Son, Jesus Christ, but in truth, most are not thinking this way. We have the Word of God, the Bread of Life, at our fingertips, and all the modern conveniences we could ever dream of, yet the time many of us are spending with God is decreasing not increasing.
Our minds are the battleground for our identity in Christ. That’s where it all begins, and that is where we must choose to be patient, loving, and kind. God tells us in Colossians 3:8-10(NLT), “8 But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 9 Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. 10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.” God has given us free-will, and it is clear from the wisdom of His Word that we are the ones who must make the decision to put off the attitudes, feelings, and behaviors that are corrupt and injurious to our souls. He instructs us to put on our new nature, and this nature is the nature of Jesus Christ.
When he walked the earth, Jesus Christ was loving, tenderhearted, and compassionate. He lived this way because this is the heart of our Heavenly Father, and God tells us in Ephesians 5:1 to be imitators of Him because we are His beloved children. All of us have our opinions and assumptions about how to love, but our brand of love comes with several conditions and limitations. God’s love isn’t like this, and it’s why He tells us that we must love through Him.
1Corinthians 13:4-5(NLT) says, “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.” This verse is teaching us about God’s love, and the first attribute He mentions is patience. It’s the practice of being long tempered, and not blowing a fuse because things don’t go our way. This is how God’s love is. He is extremely patient with us. When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, our Heavenly Father could have said, “That’s it! I’m not putting up with such disrespect and ingratitude. I will get rid of these two and start all over again.” Our Heavenly Father is a Redeeming God. He looked at Adam and Eve and saw us. He patiently waited until we figured it out through Jesus Christ, and even though we’re still not quite there, God continues to be patient.
2Peter 3:9(NLT) says, “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.” In the fullness of times, when the Lord’s plan comes together, our Lord and Savior will return to the earth. As believers, this is the glorious day we are all waiting for, and we think it can’t come soon enough, but God is patiently waiting. He wants everyone that will come to Him to have the chance through this earth experience to make this choice. This tells us all we need to know about God’s patience and loving kindness.
Galatians 5:22-23(NLT) says, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” We clearly see that patience is among the Holy Spirit’s fruit. These belong to him, and he is living inside the born-again believer. The Spirit’s power is unlimited, and he is all about producing his fruit in our lives. He does this as you and I surrender to him. Instead of letting our emotions rule or letting the circumstances and situations of life dictate our responses, God instructs us to change our thoughts. We must switch gears so that our attitudes, feelings, and behaviors are controlled by the Spirit within. Then we will exhibit qualities that are a match for who we are in Christ.
God has told us exactly what to do in His Word. He’s told us what to think and say in order to follow the example that Jesus Christ has left for us. God doesn’t want punishment to turn us from sin, instead He wants us to be transformed by His love, so that we prove His perfect Will in our lives. God’s love is patient and kind. His love lifts us up and does the same for others as we live through Him. We don’t have to worry about giving up control, because God is always and forever the One in control. His standard is that we live through the example of Jesus Christ. We must change the way we think, demonstrate God’s patience towards others, and yield in every situation to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. ■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“God is Patient, and We Must Be Too”, written for 4theChristianMan.com© 2022. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.