Fruit of the Spirit: Forbearance

The book of Proverbs teaches us that, while a hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, the one who is patient calms a quarrel (15:18). Paul exhorts, “Be patient, bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2).

Patience is a willingness and ability to sit and endure without acting out, to be long-suffering without complaint, and to refrain from retaliation when provoked. Patience is waiting with no assurance that things will work out the way you want.

Patience is a long, measured steadiness, a practice of intention, of noticing and acting when the time is right. It is deciding how and when to make your point or when to listen and ask questions. It is loving over time that weighs multiple factors—urgency, capacity, trust, possibility of change, and many more. In loving disagreements, patience honors the humanity of every person and holds the tension of how healthy conflict and resolution impacts everyone.

Patience, like all the fruit of the Spirit, is a reminder that we do not enter the Christian life alone. It’s an invitation into the body of Christ where we depend on one another for the health and flourishing of the whole. Instead of fostering an environment that demands a specific type of response, patience roots itself in love and leaves room for trust, growth, and change.

Questions for Reflection

Who do you need to take more time to listen to? What change do you need to wait for? How can you express trust in God as you sit faithfully and anticipate the transformation he is bringing about?