What is Longsuffering?
Definition from the Greek word:
μακροθυμία makrothymía, mak-roth-oo-mee'-ah; from the same (makros, "long," thumos, "temper"), longsuffering, patience, endurance, constancy, steadfastness, perseverance, forbearance, slowness in avenging wrongs
Longsuffering means the power to bear up under a burden—a power to endure—a power to resist pressure—the capacity to stand a tremendous strain that comes only from living and walking in the Holy Spirit because we have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. We come to the Cross to find that power.
Holy Spirit longsuffering is perhaps that power which enables us to suffer on, which will not let us become ruffled, or paralyzed, or overwhelmed by difficulties as they come upon us. This longsuffering is having godly patience while in the midst of suffering.
That longsuffering or patience, which is a part of the fruit of the Spirit, stands opposed to works of the flesh: hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, envy, revelries, irritability of temper, fretfulness under sufferings, and weariness in well-doing. Longsuffering does not hold a grudge.
Christian patience or longsuffering must be distinguished from the resilience of self-effort and stoic apathy.
We are not talking about being a "stoic," The philosopher Zeno (3rd century BC) was the master of this school of Stoics. He taught that men should be free from passion, unmoved by joy or grief and that they should submit without complaint to the unavoidable hardships of life by which, as he supposed, all things were governed.
The word "stoic" commonly refers to someone indifferent to pain, pleasure, grief, or joy. The modern usage as a "person who represses feelings or endures patiently"
Longsuffering is NOT being a stoic. Instead, it speaks of the steadfastness of the soul while being provoked, being deliberately egged on. Yet, the one who has been crucified with Christ patiently endures the wrong under ill-treatment, without anger or thought of revenge. In a spirit of forgiveness and love. The one walking in the Spirit will suffer a long time by the hands of others for THEIR sake.
1. Have you experienced this type of Holy Spirit longsuffering? Or are you the "stoic" type that refuses to feel? Or are you the type that has no patience at all for anything or anyone that crosses your path? Take a moment and ask yourself – am I longsuffering?
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