The Lord is long-suffering and very patient throughout the Scriptures. Psalm 86:15 But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. [1]
It is nice when the Lord is long-suffering, but what if I must endure such an experience? Have you ever walked through a time when difficult circumstances seemed to last forever? My sister walked through a time like this when her young son died of cancer. If you are like me, I don’t want long-suffering to be part of my life experience, but there are seasons of life you can’t control.
Troubles for a short time are challenging enough, but when they go on for an extended period, they can wear you down. When life difficulties wear us down, the Lord is always there to comfort us and give us strength.
The Lord was Long-suffering Regarding the Amorites
The Amorites lived in the promised land long before God freed the Israelites from Egypt. The Lord told Abraham that his descendants would be oppressed as slaves for 400 years in Egypt before returning to the promised land. When Abraham’s descendants returned from Egypt, the Lord would use them to destroy the Amorites because of their sin.
Genesis 15:16 After four generations, your descendants will return here to this land, for the sins of the Amorites do not yet warrant their destruction.” [2] The Lord was long-suffering with the nations of Canaan and delayed their judgment to give them additional time to repent. To repent is to turn from our sin and turn toward God.
The Lord is Long-suffering with Us
There was a time in my early twenties when my spiritual faith was in decline. The Lord patiently called me back to Himself like a lost sheep. After wandering for a few years, I learned a hard lesson and never drifted away again. God’s nature is to go after lost sheep and restore them to the fold. Matthew 18:12 “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost?[3]
Think how our lives would be different if those around us were long-suffering. How would that affect personal relationships, church relationships, and other relationships? By being led by the Holy Spirit, a follower of Jesus can forgive and be a long-suffering person. As the Lord is long-suffering with us, He gives us the strength to be long-suffering with those around us as we pray and ask for the power to do so.
To learn how the Lord is long-suffering, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/beginnings-promise
[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.