Today we are going to take a look at the next fruit of the Spirit in
our study, the fruit of longsuffering. What a necessary fruit this is
in our lives as Christians if we are ever going to reach people for Jesus
Christ, amen? It takes time to reach lost souls; thus the need for extreme
patience... Let's begin by looking at 2 Peter 3 verses 9 and 15, which
say:
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness;
but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but
that all should come to repentance.
And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation...
We find in scripture that there is a plan to God's delay, to His longsuffering
- and that plan is directed toward people, toward their souls being saved!
The Lord’s longsuffering is born of His mercy toward us for He is not
willing that any should perish! In 1 Peter 3:20, the Bible tells us that
the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the ark was
preparing just so eight souls could be saved. I appreciate God’s longsuffering
in my life that afforded me the time I needed to come to repentance and
be saved, how about you?
Isaiah 48:9
For my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain
for thee, that I cut thee not off.
Ladies, our God is full of compassion and delays the penalty of sin in
our lives to provide opportunity for repentance because He loves us! God
has formed a perfect plan, in which, for His own sake, and the glory of
His grace, He saves all that come to Him. It is because of the hardness
of our hearts that God extends such mercy and is longsuffering toward
us. Therefore, for God's namesake and for His praise we must become longsuffering
as well, for men's hearts are still hard, even today…
2 Timothy 3:10-12
But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith,
LONGSUFFERING, charity, patience, persecutions, afflictions, which came
unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra, what persecutions I endured:
but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yea, and all that will live
godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
By the sounds of it, believers are going to need the fruit of longsuffering
if they intend to endure persecution, amen? There are some people who
think escaping adversity is saintly, but that is not Biblical! Christians
who desire to live godly are going to experience problems for that aspiration.
Are you prepared to suffer such, dear lady? Perhaps you have already been
experiencing difficulty in your life, some persecution for your godly
lifestyle. How are you doing - are you enduring, or finding yourself praying
to God to bring a quick end to the harassment?
1 Peter 2:21 (KJV)
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us,
leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
Longsuffering is an attitude of willingness to undergo hardship for others,
without a time limit attached onto it. "I'll put up with it, but I'm giving
you one month to change!" It is the ability to endure discomfort - without
fighting back. Nonetheless, we cannot exemplify this fruit of the Spirit
apart from love - going back to the foundation of all the fruits of the
Spirit. Longsuffering is rooted in love for others, just as God's longsuffering
and mercy toward us is rooted in His love for us and desire for all to
come to repentance.
Psalm 103:8 (KJV)
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
Can you love others enough to give them room to repent, time to turn away
from their sin? It will require an attitude of longsuffering on your part!
It may mean that during this time, while waiting for that lost loved one
or saved love one to get right with God, you will shed some tears, you
may become frustrated, you could be disappointed on numerous occasions,
you might not even see fruit for years… Are you ready to go the distance,
if necessary?? Will your love for somebody permit you to be longsuffering
on their behalf? Will it enhance your endurance when you are tempted to
abandon them? Your relationship with the Lord, and your yieldedness to
the Holy Spirit's control in your life will bring about the strength to
suffer long as you depend upon HIS power - not your own, that you might
manifest this fruit of the Spirit. God, who undertakes to give strength
to His people, is a God of staying power! The special use of this strength
was for stamina... Yes, you can happily suffer long with God's might!
Colossians 1:11
Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all
patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.
Ladies, longsuffering is coming to the end of your resources and the beginning
of God's! Short-tempered people have no ability for endurance in them,
no root of love or mercy. They speak and act impulsively, lacking self-control
the minute they sense the likelihood of distress. A longsuffering person
however, puts up with exasperating individuals without retribution, people
that are difficult to live with, without revenge in mind. Notice I said
"puts up with people". Remember, longsuffering is directed toward people,
while patience is directed toward circumstances. There are those that
would consider themselves longsuffering persons because they can endure
stressful situations, like the electricity going out or the car not starting
- only to lose their tempers with loved ones or friends! God's longsuffering
was always directed toward people - "to usward".
Col. 3:12
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies,
kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering...
As children of God we are told to put on longsuffering every day, to make
it a part of our inward wardrobe. Are you wearing yours today? Get dressed
for affliction, dear lady! Our sufferings can be hidden treasures; they
trigger life’s greatest insights and accomplishments. Spurgeon said that
he learned most in the darkened schoolroom... There is an old Irish proverb
that says - "Every invalid is a physician" and it's so true! Those darkest
hours, that for which you have suffered long is what you will draw upon
to help heal others. In 1 Tim. 1:16, the apostle Paul stated that he understood
his testimony must be a pattern of longsuffering, that others could see
and believe Christ...
Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ
might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should
hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
Would you be able to say that your life is an example of longsuffering
toward people? Is it pointing individuals toward the mercy of the Lord?
Mothers, are your children able to learn from you how to suffer long -
or short?? Watch how they are putting up with difficult persons in their
little lives and you will see just what you've been teaching them…
1 Cor. 13:4A (KJV)
Charity suffereth long, and is kind…
In the many verses I studied on longsuffering, I noticed that it was a
quality never mentioned alone, but it was always joined with other character
traits. Perhaps you'd like to take the time to look up the verses on longsuffering
yourself to see what I mean. This led me to believe that longsuffering
takes every character trait and enhances it, adds extra flavor to it,
so to speak. Longsuffering enhances patience, enhances kindness, enhances
gentleness, enhances goodness, enhances meekness, enhances self-control
etc. It brings a depth of character to us, rooted first in love! You see
ladies, longsuffering is the perfection of love! It brings about the ability
to go the extra mile in all areas of life. As ambassadors for Christ,
we must act every way suitably to His character, amen?
2 Cor. 6:4-6
But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much
patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in
imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; by pureness,
by knowledge, by longsuffering, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned...
The purpose for longsuffering is not only for the sake of allowing others
room to grow or come to repentance, but so that the end result can be
peace. Peace with God for them, and peace with others for you and I! Accept
suffering graciously, ladies... When you have reached such a point, all
bitter things will seem sweet to you. But, as long as you object to suffering
you will be ill at ease. Agree to it, and you will find that perfect peace!
Isn't it amazing to really see how closely woven together all these fruits
of the Spirit are? They each one point on to the next, but yet are rooted
in the one before it... Only our God could set things up in such a marvelous,
orderly fashion as this! Longsuffering is not just the ability to bear
a hard thing, but to turn it into glory - God's glory!
But the fruit... Is there any in your life?
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000 Pamela A. Iannello
Revised 2003
