Feeling Impatient?

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering...” Galatians 5:22

This is the King James Version Bible. Other versions use the word “patience” in place of the word “long-suffering.” I suppose both words include the same meaning; but the word long-suffering conveys the emotion involved.

Lately I have wondered: “Why am I feeling so much strain and heartache? Why do I keep failing at being patient?” Somehow I have it in my head that patience is a feeling of calm without pain. But if the Bible calls it long-suffering... maybe my feelings of suffering are in order!

Looking at the definitions, I see an action aspect and an emotional aspect of patience.

patience: the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset

long-suffering: forbearance, fortitude, to bear up under, endure

The fruit of the Spirit, long-suffering/patience, will affect our actions. We will forbear to do what we feel like doing. We will continue on in our waiting. We won’t yell, lash out, be rude, etc. But notice that we will feel troubled and suffer. We will “bear up under and endure” which requires emotional strain and pain.

Think about it, many situations requiring patience also require some sort of suffering. Whether you are waiting for someone to get out of the bathroom or living with an alcoholic, your patience is going to cause you some degree of discomfort or downright suffering.

Patience is not being free from suffering; it is suffering long! That sounds terrible!... except for the fact that if one is not suffering long in this pain-filled world, it is because they are dead and only had to suffer short! Galatians 5:22 is promising that the Holy Spirit of God will bring this “fruit” of patience to our lives that we may be able to endure, keep going, carry on, suffer long... as long as needed.

To feel the strain does not necessarily mean that one has failed to be patient. We shouldn’t be discouraged if we feel the suffering. Rather we should be encouraged by the fact that God has given us the ability to endure in spite of our feelings.

Look at the great amount of long-suffering He has!...

“Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, ‘Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation...’ The Lord is not slack concerning His promise [to return and take us home], as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

2 Peter 3:3,4,9