Fruit of the Spirit: Patience

Fruit of the Spirit: Patience

In all of the world, there is no greater evidence of the difference between God and man than in the area of patience. Patience is supposed to be apparent in the walk of every Christian, yet this is so hard to do!

God's love is evidence of His amazing ability to be patient with us. How many times does He watch us fail in our promises to always be faithful to Him? How often do I come to Him, on my knees, praying for forgiveness, and He willingly takes me back?

How many times will He continue to forgive me and clean me up? He actually answered this question.

Matthew 18:21-22

"Then Peter came and said to Him, 'Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?' Jesus said to him, 'I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.'"

Those who know the Bible understand what is going on here. The number 7 has a special symbolic value of completeness and finality. What Peter was asking was, "Should I keep forgiving someone even when I think I have already done it enough times?"

Jesus’ was telling Peter, “You need to forgive like God does. His love is infinite and eternal and there are no limits to His patience and endurance."

70 x 7 does not mean we should forgive someone 490 times. It means that we should forgive others just like God forgives us; without counting.

Have you thanked God that His love and patience never end? Here is how Paul describes it:

1 Corinthians 13:4, 7-8

"Love is patient ... love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails."

I am living proof of God’s patience. Because of God’s extraordinary patience with me, I make an effort to be patient with others. If you are a child of God, you should be doing the same.