Patience
The Fruit of The Spirit - Patience
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustworthiness, gentleness, self-control.
Patience is not an inherent quality; it does not come easily. In fact, for many, it is a difficult quality to possess. Let’s define “Patience / Longsuffering” to ensure we understand its true meaning.
What is Patience
Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words gives us the following definition:
MAKROTHUMIA (Noun): forbearance, patience, longsuffering.
MAKROTHUMEO (Verb) To be patient, longsuffering, to bear with, to be long tempered.
Vine’s text adds an interesting note: “Longsuffering is the quality of self-restraint in the face of provocation, which does not retaliate or swiftly punish. It is the opposite of anger, associated with mercy, and is used to describe YHWH. This quality does not surrender to circumstances or succumb under trial; it contrasts with despondency and is linked to hope.”
Patience, on the other hand, is the ability to tolerate delay, endure difficulty, and show forbearance toward others. This trait is not something we are born with or receive instantly at the moment of salvation. Instead, it develops over time through YHWH’s grace and our cooperation. Patience is one way we express YHWH’s love to others, and without it, we will never become the peacemakers that Yeshua references in the Beatitudes.
Blessed are the peacemakers, because they shall be called sons of YHWH.
When we impatiently demand that others do what we want, when we want it, conflict is always the outcome. Unfortunately, impatience is often seen as an “acceptable sin” because it is less obvious than others. However, in YHWH’s eyes, we need to put this and all sin to rest within ourselves.
Impatience tends to surface when we face problems, difficulties, or disagreements. During these moments, negative emotions such as frustration, anxiety, and anger can take control. This leads to inner turmoil, hasty words, and misguided decisions. One of the most harmful effects of impatience is the hurt it inflicts on others; it can damage marriages, alienate friends and family, and create divisions within communities. To address the root of our impatience, we must recognize the self-centeredness that Scripture refers to as our “flesh.”
among whom also we all once lived in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath.
We often prioritize our own rights and desires over those of others, which leads to frustration when things don’t go our way. Sometimes, we rationalize our impatience by claiming that YHWH made us this way, but in reality, it is more a reflection of how sin has corrupted us. It is essential to replace these sinful attitudes with biblical beliefs that foster patience in our lives. Some believers mistakenly believe that their past salvation is all that matters. However, YHWH’s purpose for salvation also includes sanctification, or holiness. This is what Yeshua meant when He said,
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see Elohim”
Yahuah’s goal is to conform us to the image of His Son
Because those whom He knew beforehand, He also ordained beforehand to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, for Him to be the first-born among many brothers.
Our world today has lost all patience. We live in a fast pace, microwave, drive thru culture that want’s everything at our finger tips, anytime, any place, we want it now. We become frustrated when we have to wait in line, get put on hold during a phone call, get stuck behind a slow driver, when in fact our own impatience is the problem, not the driver in front of us.
Some of this while not an excuse if not our fault. We have unwilling become a product of our world, in which everything around is fast, convenient, instant, and no longer poses a need for patience. This impatient way of living has produced impatient people without their consent. We have been forced into a way of life that only gives false impressions of what true love is, temporary joy, counterfeit peace, and now sudden, hasty, and impetuous way of life, which can then spiral us down into many other problems.
We can list a thousand different things that reflect the disease of impatience, but we are called for a greater purpose:
To come out from from among them and be separate
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you prove what is that good and well-pleasing and perfect desire of Elohim.
2. Be conformed to the image of Yeshua our Messiah.
Ephesians 4:1-3 I call upon you therefore, I the prisoner of the Master, to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called, with all humility and meekness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, being eager to guard the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace
We are to walk in a manner that glorifies Yah and to guard the spirit of the bond of peace. We have a role to play in putting on patience, just as we had a role to play in Love, Joy, and Peace, we must be willing to put off our former man and begin to walk worthy of our calling.
That you put off – with regard to your former behavior – the old man, being corrupted according to the desires of the deceit, and to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the renewed man which was created according to Elohim, in righteousness and set-apartness of the truth.
We generally don’t recognize a lack of patience until it’s too late. The hot tempered attitude, lack of mercy and love toward another person, the quick half hearted response to a child or to our spouse. We must daily put off the works of the flesh and put on the fruits of the spirit.
Old Testament Examples of Patience
Noah – waited 100 years for the flood.
Abraham and Sarah – waited 25 years for the birth of Isaac.
Joseph – spent an estimated 13 years in prison.
Jacob – had to wait / work 14 years for Rebecca.
Job – held fast to the faithfulness of Yah and while he lost everything he was patience in Yah’s timing.
The Children of Israel waited – 400 years in slavery after in Egypt.
The Children of Israel waited – 40 years wondering in the wilderness.
Essential areas to practicing patience
- Patience with ourselves: When it seems as if we’re making little progress in spiritual growth, we should remember that YHWH’s work of sanctification is a long, slow process. We must be patient, being persuaded of this, that He who has begun a good work in you shall perfect it until the day of Yeshua Messiah.
Being persuaded of this, that He who has begun a good work in you shall perfect it until the day of Yeshua Messiah.
2. Patience with others: Our attitudes and behaviors toward people should mirror those of our creator, who has been so patient with us.
YHWH is not slow in regard to the promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward us, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
Patience means longsuffering, yet too often we are quick to become irritated or frustrated with those who don’t believe or act as we desire. When we focus on how other people should change, we become blind to our own need for a transformed heart that loves others with patience, kindness, humility, unselfishness, and endurance.
Love is patient, is kind, love does not envy, love does not boast, is not puffed up, does not behave indecently, does not seek its own, is not provoked, reckons not the evil, does not rejoice over the unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth, it covers all, believes all, expects all, endures all.
Patience with YHWH: All impatience with people or circumstances is ultimately directed at YHWH, who is sovereign over all things.
YHWH has established His throne in the heavens, And His reign shall rule over all.
Instead of trusting in His good purposes and perfect timing, we become upset if He doesn’t answer our prayers or change our circumstances. In reality, we are finding fault with Yahuah and judging Him by our standards.
Developing Patience
Let’s consider how we go about putting on a heart of patience.
Pray for it: earnestly. Patience, as one of the fruits of YHWH’s Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), is something we can actively seek. When we ask Him for patience, we can trust that He listens and responds to our prayers that align with His divine purpose.
And this is the boldness that we have in Him, that if we ask whatever according to His desire, He hears us and if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
When we choose to ignore or resist the Spirit’s work in our lives, our requests lose their significance. Patience is a gift He nurtures in us as we surrender to Him and let Yah’s Word reshape our minds, emotions, and will.
2. Think Biblically: YHWH intentionally uses challenges to cultivate patience within us, which is why James emphasizes the importance of embracing trials in our lives.
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing
While trouble itself is not joyful, we can still find reasons to rejoice because YHWH uses our struggles to bring about good in our lives. Instead of complaining or feeling sorry for ourselves, we should strive to view our trials from YHWH’s perspective, understanding that they are a way for Him to mold us into the likeness of His Son.
3. Accept Responsibility: for your growth. No one naturally drifts into patience. If we neglect our spiritual life and make no effort to develop, we will be at the mercy of our circumstances rather than guided by Yeshua. While we are responsible for cultivating patience, we are never alone in our efforts; the Ruach Hakodesh (Holy Spirit) dwells within us and empowers us. The grace of Yah that saves us also teaches us to reject ungodly habits and live righteously.
For the saving Gift of Elohim has appeared to all men, instructing us to renounce wickedness and worldly lusts, and to live sensibly, righteously, and reverently in the present age.
Being patient is an act of faith. Do you believe that YHWH is sovereign? Do you believe you can trust Him to use difficult circumstances and people to make you more like Yeshua? If so, Yah’s attributes and ways have become more than mere theological truths to us. They are the foundation for our patience, and because of this, each trial we face becomes an opportunity to trust Yah and wait patiently for Him.
4. Self Denial: One of the most difficult tasks for a believer is self-denial, but that is exactly what patience requires. You must consider the interests of others as more important than your own and let go of your rights. This applies not only to people but also to your relationship with the YHWH.
How about your relationships with others? Do you readily let your irritation be known? James reminds us that we should be “quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God” (James 1:19-20). Anyone can act ugly, but believers have the privilege and power to behave in a Messiah like manner. Yes, the person on the receiving end receives the blessing of peaceful, gentle, and loving person, but behaving in a Messiah like manner bears the fruit of the Ruach’s work in our life.
This is what John The Baptist had to say about our fruit.
“Bear, therefore, fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Aḇraham as father.’ For I say to you that Elohim is able to raise up children to Aḇraham from these stones. And the axe is already laid to the root of the trees. Every tree, then, which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Do not assume that simply claiming Abraham as our father gives us a free pass, nor should we think that possessing the Torah somehow means we’ve completed the journey effortlessly, like collecting $200 in Monopoly or being able to shout “UNO” among friends and family.
We must be diligent in bearing fruit in our lives; this is not just a suggestion or good advice—it’s YHWH’s desire for us. We cannot truly follow the Torah or walk in its teachings if we are not producing fruit in our lives, such as love, joy, peace, patience, and so on.
Yeshua calls us to walk in spirit and in truth. We have a choice: life or death
Deuteronomy 30:19-20 I have called the heavens and the earth as witnesses today against you: I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore you shall choose life, so that you live, both you and your seed, to love YHWH your Elohim, to obey His voice, and to cling to Him – for He is your life and the length of your days – to dwell in the land which YHWH swore to your fathers, to Aḇraham, to Yitsḥaq, and to Ya‛aqoḇ, to give them
Along with the choice of following the Torah we have a choice to walk in the works of the flesh or the fruits of the spirit. Walking in the fruits of the spirit are intermingled with the Torah life. Paul tells us that if we walk in the works of the flesh we will not inherit the kingdom. We cannot assume and rely on Abraham being our father just as the Pharisees did. We cannot decide today were followers of the Torah and deny the Ruach to bear fruit in our lives. We cannot live just by the truth, but by the spirit and the truth. They both complement and complete one another.
We must be diligent to conform to the likeness of our Messiah Yeshua. Put on today Love, Joy, Peace, and Patience. Halleluyah!
In our next post we will discuss the fruit of Kindness.