Fruit of the Spirit

Longsuffering

Longsuffering encompasses patience, endurance, steadfastness, and forbearance. It is an active response to opposition, not a passive resignation to the inevitable. An important word in both Hebrew and Greek, “longsuffering” is an attribute of God (Ps. 86:15), a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22), and an attitude all women should reflect (1 Cor. 13:4).

The apostle Paul prayed that his Colossian friends might possess patience and longsuffering as well as joy (Col. 1:9–12). Patience (Gk. hupomone, lit. “bearing up under”) is getting under a burden or affliction and turning it into glory. This word for patience is most often applied to people. God’s people are to be patient with others, especially when facing adversity (Rom. 5:3–5). Patience is a characteristic of true love (1 Cor. 13:4, 7).

“Longsuffering” (Gk. makrothumia) is a quality most often applied to God. Its root means to “put fury far off while suffering wrong or injustice.” Only God can be completely longsuffering. He alone is “slow to anger” (Ps. 86:15; Joel 2:13). However, Christians can become longsuffering through the power of the Holy Spirit. Believers who walk in the Spirit develop a longsuffering attitude that no circumstance can destroy and patience that no person can defeat (Eph. 4:1–3).

Taken from The Woman’s Study Bible