...Patience...

It starts with Love, then moves to Joy, that leads to Peace, and then we come to Patience. The Greek word is makrothumia, and this word carries several meanings. When translated in older translations of the Bible this section of scripture uses the phrase long-suffering for patience, and I think that long suffering best captures what this characteristic means for our lives.

Long suffering is the quality of self-restraint in the face of provocation. It does not quickly or rashly retaliate, and it does not swiftly hand out punishment. Long suffering is the opposite of anger, and is more associated with mercy. Patience is the quality that does not surrender to circumstances or cave in during trials. It is the opposite of despondency and is more associated with hope.

Makrothumia also means, patient expectation, fortitude, and patient enduring of evil. In short, makrothumia is enduring trials, hardship, and evil without complaint. It is not caving in under pressure, but standing firm.

I look at the last few months, and honestly I have failed to have makrothumia in my life at times. I look at the hardships I've had at church, the junk to deal with, the opposing views on how ministry should be done, and honestly I'm ready to give up. I talked with my mentor a few weeks ago, and he gave me two verses. Romans 5.3-5, and James 1.2-4

Romans 5,

"And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

James 1,

"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."

After talking to him I spent the next day doing word studies on these two verses. Both of them, in the use of the word tribulations and trials, refer to metal being put through a fire to be purged and purified. It makes the metal better, stronger, and more valuable. That is the point of hard times, to cleanse us, to make us stronger, and to make us more like Christ and more reliant upon God.

This past weekend I got a text from a friend in Ohio, and he asked me if I had anything to report. I told him I would facebook him this week. This morning as I typed out what ended up being a very long facebook message, I began to see everything God has been doing and what He has been working towards. It made me feel blessed to be a part of what God is doing, and at the same time made me realize how much I need to pray for makrothumia in my life.

Right now there are things going on in life that I don't understand, things that are hard, and things that hurt. But trying to keep those two verses in mind, trying to keep that idea of being passed through fire like metal, trying to endure without complaining and standing firm through the rough times, I pray that God will grant me the makrothumia to endure it.

I can have makrothumia (Patience), enduring hardship and trial without complaint because of eirene (Peace), the contentment with life. I have eirene because I have chara (Joy), I have a reason to rejoice and a reason to be joyful, and that reason is the agape (Love) the unconditional love of God for me.

Endure the hardship, endure the trial, don't complain, because all of it is for our benefit, to make us stronger, to make us more like Christ.

Peace be with you