Lord’s Day, Vol. 4 No. 16

The Fruit of the Spirit is Longsuffering

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Longsuffering (makrothuméo) describes the believer as exhibiting patience, forbearance, longsuffering, slowness in avenging wrongs inflicted by others. It is the quality of a person who can avenge himself yet refrains from doing so. It is patience in respect to persons whereas another word often translated patience (hupomonḗ) describes one’s enduring attitude towards things or circumstances (Luke 8:15, 21:19; Romans 2:4, 5:3, 4).

Being longsuffering is not a natural action of man but a supernatural action of the Holy Spirit working in the believer. It is a communicable attribute of God (Exodus 34:6; Numbers 14:18; Psalm 86:15; Jeremiah 15:15; Romans 2:4; Romans 9:22; 1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 3:9, 15) that believers possess as a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22; 2 Corinthians 6:6; Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 1:11; 3:12; 1 Timothy 1:16; 2 Timothy 3:10; 4:2).

Joseph was sold at the age of 16 by his jealous brothers. He suffered greatly as a slave in Egypt. Once, he was thrown into jail because he acted righteously against the advances of his master’s wife. There in prison, he had to endure for a period. He was allowed to interpret the dream of Pharaoh but was not given favour to freedom.

It was only at the time when Pharaoh had a second dream that he was given an opportunity to interpret it again. This time, God helped him to make good. He was released from prison and promoted to second in command to manage the coming famine after seven years of plenteous harvest. In the course of events, the famine impacted his brothers, and they went to Egypt to buy grain.

It was only then that Joseph realized how God worked by way of the betrayal of his brothers. It was to preserve the chosen seed of Israel. Joseph’s brothers’ evil act to destroy him was turned by God to work out His good plan for the family.

Joseph forgave his brothers. He exercised much patience to control himself from hitting-back at his brothers. He was in a good position to take revenge, but he did not. Instead, he tested his brothers. He asked for Benjamin to be brought. Judah volunteered to stay behind while the rest returned to bring Benjamin.

Joseph realized that in the course of events, his brothers’ hearts were changed. God has used the events to teach his brothers how to love one another, serve one another and not devour one another (Gal. 5:13-15). They showed love and concern for their fellow brothers and were willing to sacrificially protect each other’s safety.

 God worked out His plan and will through Joseph’s longsuffering character amidst living among heathens and idolators. Joseph kept himself pure. He saw the hand of God. He was longsuffering towards those who were unkind to him and endured unfavourable circumstances patiently. Men meant evil, but God turned the table. God made it beautiful for Joseph in His time.

The biblical character Job was tested by God. His health, wealth, servants and ten children were taken from him suddenly. His wife viciously told him to curse God and die. He did not. Three of his friends came to visit him. They were miserable comforters who ended up misjudging Job and said that it was because of Job’s sin that God caused all the calamities to come upon his life suddenly.

Job knew in his heart that he was innocent. He had to endure the barrage of accusations that were hurled against him by his three friends. Those accusations and conversations spanned 30 out of the 42 chapters in the Book of Job.

Eventually, Job prayed for God’s forgiveness for his three friends who had misrepresented God and wrongly accused him. God enabled Job to forgive his friends from his heart and only then could Job pray for them. By that, God not only forgave Job’s friends but restored to Job double of what he had lost before the trial began.

Job 42:7-10 …the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath. Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job. So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the LORD commanded them: the LORD also accepted Job. And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.

May the Lord help us to bear the spiritual fruit of longsuffering! Amen.

Yours lovingly,

Pastor Lek Aik Wee