Longsuffering Like God

Longsuffering is not a word we hear anymore, but it is pretty self explanatory. In the King James, it is used in place of patience when listing the fruit of the Spirit, but it is more than mere patience. It is often translated as “slow to anger” or “great patience” in other translations. It carries with it a note of extended time, and it is plain to see times in the Bible when God had longsuffering with people, but when has He had longsuffering with you? Have you had longsuffering with others?

The Greek word for longsuffering is makrothymia which literally means patience, endurance, constancy, steadfastness, endurance. It is much more than putting up with an annoying person at a party, it is being devoted to helping them, dealing with them in a loving way for an extended period of time. It is one thing to be patient in a busy supermarket. It is quite another to regularly, lovingly put up with a difficult family member for years on end. It does not count as longsuffering if we put that person off, shut them out, or avoid them, either.

Romans 9:22-23 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory

That is exactly what God does with all of us, every day, for all of history. The phrase “endured with much patience” is longsuffering in the KJV. He has longsuffering for all of humanity. It is one thing to endure a person’s sin for a time until they come to know Christ and receive salvation, but God has longsuffering with everyone, even those who will never repent, who will never change. He had longsuffering with Hitler, Nero, and every other wicked tyrant who persecuted His people. He has longsuffering with them for the sake of those who will be saved.

Matthew 13:24-30 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away. But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also. The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ And he said to them, ‘An enemy has done this!’ The slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

Know that God is just and all evil is dealt with accordingly. In delaying punishment, they are not getting away with it. God is doing what is best for us.

Some may think that because they are saved, God doesn’t need to have longsuffering with them, but that is also not true. We all sin. We all rebel at times. We can all be difficult. It is important to remember that the greatest sin is not acknowledging God, forgetting Him, or living with indifference to Him, and we may think we don’t do that but how often do we buy, say or do something without considering if it will glorify God, without asking if it is His will? Do we thank God for every single thing in life every day? Rebellion is simply doing things our way instead of God’s way. How often do we do that?

We really are no better than any other person. We have all fallen short. Therefore, He has need of longsuffering with all of us. He has every right to strike us each down instantly for the smallest sin, but He doesn’t. He gives us unending second chances. His mercy is new every morning. That is because He has longsuffering with us. We need to remember that when we are tempted to judge others, to look down on others, to say they deserve punishment. We need to remember that we deserve it, too.

While we are considering the longsuffering God has for us, we need be sure to have it with others. God calls us to lovingly put up with those who are difficult.

Luke 6:27-29 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either.

That is longsuffering. That is love in action. That is what God does for us. That is how we should treat others, regardless of who they are or how they treat us. And this isn’t just a suggestion, it is a command. This is how we are to treat people if we claim to love God.

1 John 4:20 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.

How have you experienced the longsuffering of God? Ponder all the ways He has shown His love to you in this way. How can you show longsuffering to others? To whom do you need to show this to this week? Ask God to grow this in you, to help you love those who are difficult.