Becoming Like JesusSample

Patience

Today, as we continue to work through our foundational passage, we will study patience. Yesterday we learned about gentleness, which guides our engagement with others. Today, as we look at patience, we will further explore how to respond to others.

“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults…” Colossians 3:12-13

Patience is a decision not to be short-tempered or irritated; not to allow resentment to settle into our heart at the weakness or the sin of others. Patience embodies the idea of “putting up with” or “bearing with.” We see this clearly explained in Ephesians 4:2. “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”

How does that play out in Jesus’ life? In multiple gospels, we see a man whose son has seizures and is demon-possessed confront Jesus. The man sought healing from Jesus’ disciples, but they were unable to heal him. Jesus responded to the news of the disciples’ failure stating, “you unbelieving and perverse generation, how long must I put up with you?” He then took the boy, cast out the demon, and healed him. Later the disciples asked Jesus, “why couldn’t we cast out that demon?” He responded, “because you have such little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Looking at the situation from Jesus’ perspective, we may understand His frustration. At the time of this account, Jesus was closer to His death, which means his disciples had been following him for years. Over that course of time, they would have seen miracle after miracle. They would have performed miracles. Yet, Jesus still saw unbelief in their hearts. While He responded with frustration, He also responded with patience. He could have written them off, by saying “after all this time, you still don’t believe. I am done with you. I am going to go find someone willing to believe.” But He didn’t. At the same time, He also didn’t ignore their shortcoming. Instead, He capitalized on the opportunity to shepherd them and continue to help them grow.

Why was Jesus patient? Why should we be patient? Why is God patient with us? 2 Peter tells us, “The Lord is not slow at keeping his promise as some understand slowness, rather, He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” God desires repentance. His desire is for us to turn back to Him. We, as His children, should want the same for those around us.

Patience is not easy, which is why we must cultivate humility in our lives. We must understand that we all need grace and have deep gratitude for the fact that the Lord, who could write every single one of us off, chooses instead to be patient with us. Next, we must keep our goal in mind. When we see other people’s shortcomings, we could respond with irritation, be short-tempered with them, or even write them off. But does that accomplish the goal of leading them to repentance? We must ask ourselves: do we want others to grow? If we choose to be impatient with other’s shortcomings, we waste an opportunity to help them become more like Jesus?

I, as a mama to four, have many opportunities to exercise patience with my children. Day-after-day, week-after-week, I find myself having the same conversation with them. In our house, the Golden Rule is to treat others the way you want to be treated. In those conversations, I help them process the situation through a biblical lens, asking: how would you want to be treated? How did you treat them? And how can you change? I am patient with them as I, gently and lovingly, help them see their sinfulness and come alongside them to help them grow.

As we embody this characteristic of Jesus, we will face opportunities to be irritated and short with others. I pray that we will pause, understanding that we are all on a journey of sanctification, and ask God to show us the opportunity to exercise patience and do everything we can to help others in their process of becoming more like Jesus.