God is Patient

“I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life” (1 Tim. 1:16).

IF: God is love.

AND: Love is patient.

THEN: God is patient.

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not willing that anyone should perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

God is patient, long-suffering, “But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in loving kindness.” (Psalms 86:15)

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The word ‘patience’ has within it an implied opposite extreme. We think patience must have wrath, anger and un-restraint at the other end in order to exist. Patience is “instead of” or “opposed to” something much worse.

We wrongly think that patience is holding back anger that is begging to be released. That’s not it.

You can’t learn patience—you either have it or you don’t. When you love, you have it; and when you don’t love you don’t have it.

Patience comes through understanding and understanding comes through love. When you love someone you understand their heart, and when you understand their heart you have patience.

Love sees everything in a person’s heart. It doesn’t even begin to lose patience, because it understands completely why a person does what they do.

Many people believe God is waiting for them to get their act together; that he has washed his hands of them until they straighten up and stop making mistakes—this is their interpretation of God’s patience with them.

For many people, “God is being patient with me” means "He is so disgusted with me that he can’t stand it, but he is holding back from giving me what I deserve."

God is patient with you because he understands you fully and completely. His eyes see past the sin and straight into your heart. He understands exactly why you do what you do.

His patience with you is not a case of God holding back his boiling anger; rather it is simply God knowing you so well that He doesn't even begin to lose patience.

God is patient with you because you are “fully known” by Him. God knows you better than you know yourself and his focus is always on your heart. That is the part of you that he is in love with. Within your heart lies the truth about who you really are.

He’s not even tempted to ever take his hands off of you regardless of what you’ve done in your life.

He never calculates in his mind what you deserve for your failures in life.

He never tallies up your mistakes in an effort to build a case against you.

He is not even the slightest bit irritated when you repeat the same mistake over and over again. God understands and he is patient.

Love will never stop or leave you half-way through. Love’s resolve to stay forever is what gives it patience.

The reason many people don’t have patience in their marriage is because they haven’t decided once and for all that they will never leave.

God has decided whole-heartedly that he will be with you for all eternity. He’s not thinking of leaving or sneaking out early. He is in for the long haul. He has a clear vision of the finish line. And because of that he possesses patience.

God has patience with you because he knows the end of your story, and he is pleased with it. It’s a happy ending.

(excerpts from The God's Honest Truth by Darin Hufford)