Longsuffering
Hello Bride of Christ,
Instant gratification and comfort are two prominent nouns sought after across the globe. Technological advances, the speed of change, and the increase in transit societies create environments void of delayed gratification. Discomforts are also minimized. No one seeks after being uncomfortable or to experience pain, quite the contrary we go to great lengths to feel comfort. We spend all our resources to acquire, consume, and improve each comfort and satisfy every want disguised as a need. Yet we worship a God who characterizes Himself as the opposite and chose the opposite for Himself.
God of the old testament is often described as longsuffering. The definition of which means patient and forbearing. When God provided Moses with the second round of tablets with the ten commandments because Moses had broken the first pair out of anger towards the children of Israel’s golden calf sin, the Lord proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth,” (Exodus 34:6). Longsuffering -patient- is who God claims to be. Why? Why would He desire to suffer long?
Although longsuffering evokes many emotions within a being it is not swayed by emotion but has the end view in sight. God chooses to be longsuffering, to execute patience, creating space for repentance. His choosing longsuffering creates space for grace, God giving something good to us even when we do not deserve it. The Divine delay. Better yet, the Word of God made flesh!
Jesus, who being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men, and being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death of the cross. (Philippians 2:6-8) Jesus chose to become human and give up His divine abilities, choosing longsuffering.
Bride of Christ, God chooses to be longsuffering because He sees the end from the beginning. He knows what is yet to come. Jesus chooses longsuffering because of the joy (us) who are set before Him. The Holy Spirit provides us with the fruit of longsuffering (Galatians 5:22) so that we too would be a reflection of our God. Divine longsuffering imposes a demand for human longsuffering for God is the same yesterday, today, and forever encouraging us as He did Peter in Matthews 18:21-30 to bear with those that sin against us. Longsuffering is not a fruit only to help us bear the wrong done towards us, but the fruit that gives us access to joy in the midst of hard times. James encourages us, “my brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1:2-3) For it was the fruit of longsuffering that allowed Moses, in the old testament, to stand firm on the edge of the Red Sea and wait on His God to move. It was longsuffering that allowed Timothy to preach the word in and out of season in the new testament. It is this same fruit the Lord desires to see produced in and through your life. “Therefore, as [the] dear elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering,” (Colossians 3:12) that the world around you might taste and see the goodness of God.
