The Fruit Of The Spirit – Patience

Patience (Makrothumia)

Introduction

• Today we will Discuss Patience.
• Definitions
  • Greek – Makrothumia – , “long-tempered”
  • KJV translates it as “long-suffering;” NIV, et.al., “patience.”
  • Expresses attitude toward people & events – never loses patience, hope, etc.; never admits defeat.

I.  Patience in the Greek Old Testament & Apocropha

• Patience with Events (1 Macc. 8:4; Rome’s Greatness Attributed to her Policy of never Admitting Defeat)
• Patience with People (Never Loses Hope or Grows Bitter)
  • It is the Basis of Forgiveness (Pr 19:11).
  • It is the Basis of Humility (Ec 7:8).
  • It is the Basis of all good Relationships (Pr 15:18)
  • It is the Basis of True Wisdom (Pr 14:29)
  • It is the Basis of all True Power (Pr 16:32)
• Patience Describes the Character of God (Ex 34:6; Ne 9:17)
  • The Sinner’s Hope (Joel 2:13)
  • The Sinner’s Warning (Nu 14:18)

II.  Patience in the New Testament

• The Patience of God – Waiting & Acting (2 Pe 3:15, 2 Pe 3:9; Ro 2:4)
• Patience toward our Fellow Humans (Eph 4:2; Co 3:12; 1 Th 5:14)
• The Response of a Christian Toward Circumstances (Co 1:11; 2 Co 6:6; He 6:12-15; Ja 5:7-10)

Applications:

• Patience with Others is a Mark of the Indwelling Spirit.
• Patience in Difficult Circumstances is a Mark of the Holy Spirit.
• God is Patient with Us, but His Patience will Not Last Forever.

I like the old KJV translation of patience – “long-suffering.” It expresses the meaning of makrothumia succinctly; it is the willingness to suffer long in regard to people and circumstances.  People can be so exhausting!  They take your time, consume your resources, get on your nerves, irritate you, interrupt your day, work against you, hurt your feelings – do I even have to go on?  You know what I mean. The same is true with trying circumstances. Life has a way of doling out aggravation, difficulty, and suffering. We either choose to lose our cool or “suffer long” through it.

This quality of choosing to suffer long is called patience and is the fourth virtue Paul lists in Galatians 5:16-23.  Patience is a fruit of the Spirit which means, like the others, it is produced by the Spirit in our lives as a part of his transforming work.  Remember though, we have to cooperate with his work by following his lead. This is one of the virtues in which it is so easy to give up and “grieve the Spirit.” The next time you are faced with trying people or circumstances pray that God would fill you with his patience and help you to endure.

Have a Great Week!  Joey