Patience is a virtue. Trite and tired, right? Nevertheless, it is true, patience is one of the virtues of the Christian life. In my last post I pointed out there are two kinds of patience spoken of in the New Testament: longsuffering and patience, and took a look at longusffering, a beautifully descriptive word.
As I mentioned, there are two different words used for patience: μακροθυμια (longsuffering) and υπομονη (patience). John Chrysostom (349 – 407), Archbishop of Constantinople and fluent in Greek, described the distinction: “that a man μακροθυμια, who having power to avenge himself, yet refrains from the exercise of this power; while he υπομονη, who having no choice but to bear, and only the alternative of a patient or impatient bearing, has grace to choose the former.”
R.C. Trench, in his Synonyms of the New Testament, wrote: “...μακροθυμια will be found to express patience in respect of persons, υπομονη in respect of things. The man μακροθυμια, who, having to do with injurious person does not suffer himself easily to be provoked by them, or to blaze up into anger. The man υπομονη who, under a great siege of trials, bears up, and does not lose heart or courage.”
Clement of Alexandria said it does not mark merely the endurance, but perseverance, the brave patience with which the Christian contends against the various hindrances, persecutions, and temptations that befall him in his conflict with the inward and outward world.
Here are a few of the passages with patience in bold (30 times)
We sometimes forget this truth.
Romans 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
Longsuffering is the fruit of the Spirit, the produce of God’s love in my heart, patience is the fruit of tribulation. Tribulations are those difficult times that squeeze you, that pressure you, that make you wonder if you want to continue in the faith. I don’t like them any more than you do, but we are taught here that these pressures make us strong, they help us develop the ability to hold on. I learn how to trust God in hard times, what is of eternal value, and that He will be with me all the time. That is experience or character.
Romans 8:25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
We hope, not because we are not sure, but because we don’t see it. And because we hope we patiently wait for it.
2 Corinthians 6:4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
One of the marks of the ministers of God is patience: perseverance in the work in spite of discouragement and difficulty.
Colossians 1:11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
All patience with joyfulness! How am I ever to arrive at this point? As I am strengthened with His might and power. Supernatural living.
1 Thessalonians 1:2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; 3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
Patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Don’t you dare quit. You. Keep. Holding on!
2 Thessalonians 1:4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:
This is the whole point of patience - in all your persecutions and tribulations you continue to believe. How easy I have it now, but it’s coming...
Hebrews 10:36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
Do not lose heart, do not give up, do not quit if you wish to receive the promise.
It is interesting that earlier in Hebrews Paul used the word for longsuffering to say the same thing
Hebrews 6:12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Hebrews 6:15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
This race is not a burst or a dash, it is a marathon. In spite of the various hindrances, persecutions, and temptations that befall him the believer continues to run the race.
James 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Here it is again, patience is developed in trials and tribulations. And it appears I can help or hinder this patience and her perfect work.
2 Peter 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
Tribulation is the arena in which I learn patience, yet Peter tells us to add this to our faith, that is, make a conscious effort and decision to be patient in our trials and tribulations, to persevere in faith.
Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
The context is tribulation and persecution.
Tribulations, trials, persecutions require faith and patience. Patience is indeed a virtue. It is a grace to be longsuffering toward others and patient in trials and tribulations. As I went through this it struck me that longsuffering is associated with love and patience with faith. It’s obvious to me that I need to grow in longsuffering, so my prayer is, May the Lord give me the grace to increase and abound in love. At this point, I confess, I do not want to pray for patience! I do pray that I would be strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.
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