Fruit: Longsuffering: the longer you suffer, the less you will suffer!

My first conscious experience with the fruit of longsuffering was almost immediately after I entered into a relationship with Christ. Before I came to know Christ, my guitar was my god! You did not touch my guitar unless you asked me. There were times I almost yelled at someone who just picked up my guitar and started playing it. I had just trusted Christ weeks earlier, and I had returned to work at a restaurant. At the end of the evening all workers were allowed to go to the bar and have what was called a “Pau” drink. “Pau” means, “done.”  I was already being discipled and discipling inmates at the prison three times a week. As I was having my soda, a drunk walking by stumbled and stepped on my guitar case, which had my guitar in it. It was with other equipment stored in the corner. He just stood there on the top of my case; I heard the wood in the case crack. 

All my coworkers, who had known me before Christ, held their breath…thinking this man was about to enter eternity. :) I reacted…but not in the way I would have before. I jumped up and grabbed him, with genuine concern that he was going to fall. I helped him down, got him to a seat and then went back to my friends and my soda. They all were looking at me in shock! Then I realized, I had not thought about my guitar once, I was sincerely worried that that man might hurt himself. Later that night when I awoke from my sleep and realized what had happened to my guitar, I got up and beat my dog! Ha Ha…just joking

This fruit usually surfaces like that. You don’t notice it, but since your priorities have changed, your ability to tolorate what others do to you and your things changes. As we look at this fruit, keep these questions in front of you.

· Why does God desire to create patience in us?

· What is the difference between Longsuffering and “putting up with”?

Define: Patience or Longsuffering

The Greek word for this is (μακροθυμία) makrothumía - A passive resigned submission to a situation; An unswerving willingness to await events rather than trying to force them; Self–restraint before proceeding to action; The quality of a person who is able to avenge himself yet refrains from doing so.

In the New Testament it is not just a character trait but also a way of life. It is not just for you, but something you share; it is something active. You might say it is the one of the primary expressions of love, the other being forgiveness.

It is not just to " Put up with!" Many can do that and have for years, but they are misrable! Longsuffering overcomes the issue! How?

Longsuffering does not exist in a vacuum. There is an imporatant context that always exists in longsuffering – “cause.” What do I mean? We do not show patience for patience sake. There is a reason that we yeild to the Spirit and allow this fruit to surface. It is for the cause of Christ! Each time our limits are pushed, we decide to show our longsuffering so those around us can experience the character of Christ!

The world usually only experiences people who are "Putting up with" stress, not overcoming it.

Longsuffering is clearly a sign of belonging to Christ, it shows you walk with Him.

It is quite normal, when pushed hard enough, for someone to lose their patience and then their temper. It is normal, but it is wrong. That’s why the fruit of longsuffering is so powerful, the world witnesses “normal” sinners everyday giving into the stress and expressing that. However, when someone remains patient and refuses to give stress the victory, and in fact overcomes it, the world takes notice.

Ephes. 4:1-3 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Col. 1:9-11 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience;

Col. 3:12-13  And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

Understanding how important longsuffering is will change how you view circumstances.

1 Tim. 1:15-16 It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. And yet for this reason I found mercy, in order that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience, as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.

Paul realized that God had been patient with him, to bring him to salvation. This understanding empowered Paul to continue to show love to those that did him harm.

Moses also experienced this:

Exodus 17:3-4 But the people thirsted there for water; and they grumbled against Moses and said, "Why, now, have you brought us up from Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?" So Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, "What shall I do to this people? A little more and they will stone me."

Exodus 32:1-9 Now when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people assembled about Aaron, and said to him, "Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him." And Aaron said to them, "Tear off the gold rings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me." Then all the people tore off the gold rings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron.  And he took this from their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, and made it into a molten calf; and they said, "This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt." Now when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation and said, "Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord." So the next day they rose early and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, "Go down at once, for your people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. "They have quickly turned aside from the way which I commanded them. They have made for themselves a molten calf, and have worshiped it, and have sacrificed to it, and said, 'This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!' " And the Lord said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and behold, they are an obstinate people.

Exodus 32:31-32 Then Moses returned to the Lord, and said, "Alas, this people has committed a great sin, and they have made a god of gold for themselves. "But now, if Thou wilt, forgive their sin-- and if not, please blot me out from Thy book which Thou hast written!"

Moses’ patience with the people drove him toward sacrificial love! He could have easily given up on these folks, but instead showed longsuffering toward them which led to his request for mercy from the Lord. Still, remember that fruit is not permanent, that’s why our connection is so important. Moses lost that connection for a short time when the people once again murmured. He lost his patience and his temper and then he lost his balance. He disobeyed God and even took credit for God’s work. That one moment cost him greatly! Longsuffering does not only show grace to others, but it protects us from ourselves!

* God creates patience in us, in order that we will become more effective vessels for His use! 

Martin Burnham was kidnapped and later died. His attitude about his captivity is the expression of longsuffering – “This is the only way to bring the Gospel to that dark region of the jungles of Basilon. ”

What about you? Do you “own” the circumstance, or does it own you? When you feel stressed out, what do you do? When was the last time you overcame the impulse to become impatient, what did you do? How did that happen? When was the last time you lost your patience? What did you do? How did that happen? Consider:

Luke 21:19  "By your endurance you will gain your lives.