“So I, the prisoner for the Lord, appeal to you to live a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called [that is, to live a life that exhibits godly character, moral courage, personal integrity, and mature behavior—a life that expresses gratitude to God for your salvation], with all humility [forsaking self-righteousness], and gentleness [maintaining self-control], with patience, bearing with one another in [unselfish] love.”
Ephesians 4:1-2 AMP
Grace Perspective:
Patience is vital for our walk with Christ. Patience means “endurance, constancy, steadfastness, perseverance, forbearance, longsuffering, slowness in avenging wrongs” [i]. It doesn’t come naturally (how many patient infants have you met)? Instead, it develops over time as the Lord gives us numerous opportunities to trust, obey, surrender, and submit to Him.
Patience is difficult to develop, but when we stop and consider how patient the Lord is with us, it becomes clear just how sweet the gracious gift of longsuffering is to us. As we remember how patient God is, we understand why Paul admonishes us, “I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.” (Ephesians 4:1-2)
A Touch of Grace:
What does patience look like in your life?
How do you see God’s patience toward you?
Grace Application:
Longsuffering sounds painful. And it can be, even with the Holy Spirit giving us strength to persevere through long periods when circumstances and even people are annoying. Yet when I stop to think of how steadfast and forbearing God is with me, I’m humbled and sometimes overwhelmed by His abundance of patience.
I become impatient with others because they don’t make my life comfortable or they are in the way of me accomplishing a task (think traffic, work, cleaning). I become touchy when someone hurts, neglects, or rejects me. How long will I hold onto pain before I choose to forgive? How I choose to respond when life isn’t going my way tells me if I am walking in the Spirit or giving into my flesh.
But God…His gracious patience stuns me. The Holy Spirit sometimes has to jerk a proverbial knot in me to get my attention (anyone else?) to remind me how patient He is with me. When I stop to consider how patiently He pursued me so I could receive the gift of salvation, I am undone. As I struggle with the sins of selfishness, fear, and unrighteous anger, I know He is patiently pruning me so that sin will not rule my heart. Yet, Jesus’ love remains steadfast to help me become more patient.
Today I “pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.” (Colossians 1:9-12 NASB)
Gracious Prayer
Gracious Father, I come to You In the precious name of Jesus Christ, my Savior, thankful for Your patience towards me. Holy Spirit, fill me with the knowledge of Your will and give me an understanding of who You are so that I will walk in a manner worthy of You. Help me to become more patient for Your kingdom. Amen
[i] https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3115/esv/mgnt/0-1/