Patience is a Virtue
Gal. 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law." The definition of patience is the "capacity to accept delay, trouble or suffering, without getting angry or upset." Many Bible versions use the word "forbearance," which essentially means the same thing. It is often said that patience is a virtue, which is defined as behavior that reflects a high moral standard. So, patience is a characteristic of someone who displays exemplary characteristics.
If we want an example of it, we need to look no further than God. Traditionally, we look to 2 Peter 3:9 as an example of His enduring patience, but we often overlook the 8th verse, which for me, contextualizes it perfectly. The two verses read as follows, "But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance."
God is not limited to time as you and I are, and His patience is perfectly defined by the absence of time, as seen in v. 8. Can you imagine what your future would be if God's patience were as fickle as man's? Many people are not long-suffering, and it does not take much to desert those who are not "towing the line," according to them. I think most of us would agree that forbearance is particularly hard amidst suffering, especially when we can put a face and name to the reason we are suffering.
It is easier to wish bad on someone than good, easier to feel a strong desire for revenge than to forgive, easier to break them down than build them up, and easier to curse them than to pray for them. Paul understood this when he wrote the words of Eph. 4:1-2, "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…" Our Christian path is flooded with trials that bring hardship and even pain, but if we wish to reflect the love of God and our personal relationship with our Savior, we must develop this virtue.
Jesus, Himself, was an example of long-suffering under extreme persecution. 1 Pet. 2:23, "When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly." Vengeance is not ours, according to Rom. 12:19, so let's leave that to God and do our best to remain faithful, obedient, and loving souls, even those who persecute us. The other time we need patience is when we are looking for God to act on something we have prayed for – often to release us from the suffering we are enduring. We are so driven by our desire to have our wants and needs met instantly that we now even have "same-day delivery" from companies like Walmart and Amazon, but that is not how God operates.
David was an example of patiently waiting for God to act in Psa. 40:1-2, "I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure." If we truly trust in God, we should also trust His timing. You and I struggle to see past the present, but God is already there, looking back at us and planning to move us to where we need to be. He will only do that, however, when all the pieces are in place to make that move beneficial to us. Waiting for God to act is a sign of the confidence we have in His promise to restore us (1 Pet. 5:10).
What we need to be especially careful of is trying to "go it alone" because of our impatience. That can easily lead to the wrong path and even more turmoil. Patience is a virtue, and we have perfect examples by way of God and Jesus. Stories of their patience abound in both the Old and the New Testament, and if we are to truly call ourselves sons and daughters of the Almighty God, we should not delay in displaying our patience in all circumstances.