Long-suffering is essential for perseverance, especially when faced with challenges that arise from the actions of others. It is the ability to endure hardship with patience and grace, even when it feels as though the weight of the world is on your shoulders. This blog will guide you on how to cultivate patience during difficult times, teaching you how to stand firm when others' actions test you.
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Having the attribute of long-suffering causes you to have the power to endure unpleasant or difficult situations without backing down. It will give you the restraint and endurance to not quit during moments of frustration, annoyance, or anger.
By mastering this personality trait, you will distinguish yourself and stand out from the majority, because when faced with challenging individuals or situations that typically lead others to quit—you will persevere.
Having Long-suffering in Relationships
In any relationship, whether romantic, familial, or with friends, there will be times when you are hurt, misunderstood, or let down by those you care about. Long-suffering allows you to hold onto love and understanding, resisting the urge to retaliate or walk away. It is about choosing to see beyond the flaws and mistakes of others and extending the same grace that God shows us.
Relationships can be challenging especially when you are with someone who is prideful, insecure, or selfish. But by being patient, you might avoid ending the relationship prematurely and witness the person transform into someone humble, confident, and considerate.
Showing them a healthy loving relationship could be your purpose in their life, and if you let frustration take over, this becomes a missed opportunity for both you and them. Even if your relationship with that person is challenging, it might be the key to your personal growth and success.
In Scripture, we are reminded that love is patient and kind (1 Corinthians 13:4). Long-suffering is a form of love that reflects God’s enduring patience with us. When we practice this in relationships, we not only build stronger, more resilient connections but also grow spiritually, developing a heart of forgiveness, empathy, and humility.
Long-suffering doesn’t mean tolerating abuse or unhealthy behavior; it’s about maintaining a spirit of patience while seeking healing, reconciliation, and growth. It’s allowing God to work through you, knowing that He can redeem even the most challenging relationships when we trust in His timing and His ways.
Having Long-suffering as a leader
Leadership is not just about making decisions or guiding others—it’s about enduring hardships with patience and resilience, especially when things don’t go as planned. As a leader, you are responsible not only for achieving goals but also for guiding those around you through difficult times, maintaining composure, and showing grace when facing adversity.
As a leader, you need to be able to endure trying circumstances, be tolerant with people, and respond in a calm, cool, and patient way. Therefore, the quality of long-suffering will help keep things peaceful instead of making the already challenging experience worse.
Long-suffering helps you to stay focus and not thrown off track. Meaning it prevents you from being misdirected away from your pursuits.
In the Bible, we see countless examples of leaders who exemplified long-suffering, including Moses, who endured the complaints and disobedience of the Israelites, and Paul, who faced numerous trials while spreading the Gospel. Their strength was not in quick victories or smooth paths, but in their ability to patiently endure difficulties while keeping their eyes on the larger goal.
Having this quality serves a purpose, particularly when dealing with difficult individuals or challenging circumstances at work or in daily life.
Ways to Patiently Endure People and Challenging Times
Long-suffering is the ability to remain patient in the face of difficulties caused by others (Galatians 5:22-23). It is being able to endure negative situations for a long time without complaining.
If you find yourself in a situation where you are surrounded by individuals whose personalities annoy, disrespect, or upset you, having a patient and enduring nature can enable you to tolerate them until circumstances improve. By developing the ability to endure long-lasting offenses or hardships with patience, you will be better equipped to handle discomfort or harmful behavior from others.
When we are in need of solutions, God assists us, but our frustration or anger can act as a barrier, hindering us from receiving God's guidance. By seeking God's help, we can avoid reacting in a disruptive manner and instead maintain composure to listen to His advice.
God is long-suffering with us
One characteristic of God is His patience towards us, which we should aim to imitate this personality. This trait is inherent to His nature, and because we, as believers, share in His divine nature, we can resist the urge and escape the temptation to respond in anger and, instead, have patience and self-control. (2 Peter 1:4).
Our old nature (how we were before we met Christ) can be quick to respond in ways that are not fruitful, but our new nature can respond in ways that's beneficial (Ephesians 4:22-24). Whatever we do and however we think should be compatible with Christ's way of thinking and behaving.
The amazing thing about God’s long-suffering is that, even as He watches us stumble and sin, He doesn’t abandon us. Instead, He continues to protect us, speaks to our hearts, and patiently waits for our salvation and transformation. In the midst of our mistakes and imperfections, God’s love remains constant. His long-suffering is not about tolerating our wrongdoing, but about His deep, relentless desire for us to experience redemption and grace. God’s patience is a testament to His unconditional love for us.
Long-suffering makes you influential
Our long-suffering during difficult situations can create qualities you must have if you want your life to be impactful, influential, and successful.
One of the most important things in life is to have good character because it can shape the outcome of your life. With the right character, you’ll learn better ways to approach life, have the power to overcome issues, influence others, and establish healthy relationships.
We are created to live a life of influence but having certain character traits can hinder us. However, by striving to have qualities like long-suffering, this will be the key to unlocking the limitations in your life.
By becoming a person who is slow to anger, as mentioned in the Bible, you will become more aware of the perils of negative characteristics and the transformative power of positive ones. Additionally, you will begin to reflect the nature of our Creator (Exodus 34:6, 1 Corinthians 11:1).
“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.”
—2 Peter 3:9 (ESV).
Long-suffering in Greek is a combination of the words long and temper, meaning "long-tempered." Having a long temper prevents quick discouragement, as it involves seeking to understand the person or the situation. Also, you know this is just a season or a momentary situation.
Long suffering is having strength
When you are confronted with scenarios that tempt you to lose your composure but instead you stay in control—that’s strength.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
—James 1:2-4 (NIV)
According to the Scriptures, we are urged to bear with one another as it is a manifestation of love (Colossians 3:13). As mentioned in 1 Peter 4:8 (NIV), “Love covers over a multitude of sins.” This highlights the strength of love. As believers, love should be our way of life because it has power and it’s effective.
It's important to remember that no one is perfect and situations do not always work out the way we would like. So, instead of having high expectations or demanding perfection from others, we should be inclined to tolerate people’s differences.
Tolerance is an essential element for peace, unity, and economic well-being. And when people don’t meet our expectation, we should be willing to understand, help if we can, and be long-suffering until the situation changes. Additionally, remember, as believers, everything that happens to us is for our own good (Romans 8:28).
Dismantles the wall of pride
Being able to remain patient and not easily irritated by others brings a sense of freedom. Moreover, it is important to be patient with yourself, recognizing that life is a journey and that learning is part of your journey.
Being long-suffering, tolerant, or patient breaks down the barriers of pride. In the absence of these qualities, one may find themselves unable to respect opinions or beliefs that differ from their own. This can lead to becoming demanding, judgmental, and critical when things don't go as you want.
We live in a world where we deal with people that have different personalities and without long-suffering it can create a barrier when interacting with others. It prevents you from being able to learn, understand, and live in harmony.
Long-suffering, being patient, or having tolerance doesn't mean you agree with something or someone—it means you understand and can adapt to change.
Conclusion
God created us knowing we would each have unique personalities, cultures, and beliefs. He knows that we will be of diverse cultures and beliefs. He knows we would have our own identity and personality since He created us. He made us to be like Him therefore it is not unusual to see us so different.
God’s many aspects can be found in each one of us, but these expressions are suppressed when we display anything other than love.
God is tolerant, long-suffering, and patient and His tolerance stretches beyond what we need and deserve. God proves this daily by being tolerant in our process to repentance—a demonstration of His love (2 Peter 3:9).
Therefore, let long-suffering be your new distinguishing quality so you can be at peace while allowing joy to fill you instead.
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