Longsuffering: A Fruit of The Spirit

The fruit of the Holy Spirit mentions long suffering- the Holy Spirit given strength to remain steady when life is hard. The Christian who endures difficult circumstances and stays a faithful follower of Christ- is a person who has the fruit called long-suffering.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control. Against such there is no law.”(Gal 5:22-23)

The fruit of the Spirit aren’t something that come instantaneously the minute we accept Christ as our personal Savior. They are grown and take time to form just like any fruit. And they are developed during un-answered prayer and trials.

The Purpose of Longsuffering

We all suffer due to sin and we can justify this within ourselves. For instance, if I eat too much today I will weigh too much tomorrow. Gluttony is a sin.

However, when suffering continues for long periods of time, it can become deeply painful. We may even stand righteous before God, faithfully repenting daily and choosing to walk faithfully yet endure suffering.

David was called a man after God’s own heart, yet his life was marked by long seasons of suffering and testing. Scripture shows that even in moments of deep anguish, David brought his pain honestly before God and then found the strength to continue. He didn’t abandon his relationship with God, he endured despite what he went through.

When David returned to Ziklag and discovered the city burned and their families taken captive, the grief was overwhelming:

“So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep… David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him… But David found strength in the Lord his God.” (1 Samuel 30:4–6)

This passage reminds us that faith does not mean the absence of sorrow. David wept deeply, yet he did not remain in despair. He turned to the Lord for strength, and God sustained him through the trial.

Long-suffering For The Kingdom Includes Opposition

Longsuffering will bring on opposition. Jesus said:  “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

As a follower of Christ, we should expect that not everyone will understand or accept us. We may be disliked, excluded or opposed for reasons people themselves cannot explain. But Jesus warned that walking with Him would set us apart from the world.

Some people may feel uncomfortable around those who center their lives on Christ because it naturally challenges the values they have built their life on. When someone pursues status, pleasure, approval or material success, the example of a Christ centered life can expose how temporary and empty those things truly are apart from Him. Scripture teaches that lasting meaning is found in what God values.

Even so, believers are called to respond with humility, love, compassion, and grace, reflecting Christ not only in conviction, but also in kindness.

Longsuffering Teaches Us How To Pray

There are many verses in the bible on how to pray when in deep distress, or suffering. Reciting these to ourselves can increase our faith and peace of mind.

Romans 12:12 ESV
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Galatians 6:9 ESV
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Romans 8:25 ESV
But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

The Challenge of Being A Christ Follower

Many believers find that following Jesus brings new challenges and forms of hardship they did not experience before.

Relationships can change. People who once felt comfortable around you may begin to distance themselves. As you choose to follow God, your life can unintentionally expose the contrast between the values of the world and the ways of Christ. This does not mean you are without sin or spiritually superior to others, but rather that you are seeking to align your life with God’s truth and allowing the Holy Spirit to shape your character.

As we take steps toward a life devoted to Christ, it can make others uncomfortable because we are no longer fully participating in the patterns of the world. “… all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” (2 Tim 3:12)

The more we grow in obedience to God, the more evident the difference becomes between a life centered on self and a life surrendered to Christ.

Longsuffering Leads To Abundance

When we are faithful to the Lord despite opposition from the world, we will be blessed. Scripture states: “The faithful man will abound with blessings.” (Prov 28:20)

There is a story in the Old Testament of a man named Joseph who endured great trials simply because he was favored by his father. We can be encouraged when we read his story remembering that God doesn’t play favorites, if he blessed someone through their faithful suffering, all Christ followers can enjoy the kingdom blessings. Here is a summary of Joseph’s story:

Joseph was the favored son of Jacob, and his father gave him a special coat that made his brothers jealous. After Joseph shared dreams suggesting he would one day rule over them, his brothers became angry and sold him into slavery in Egypt, telling their father he had died.

In Egypt, Joseph served in the house of Potiphar, an Egyptian official. Though Joseph worked faithfully, he was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife and thrown into prison. Even there, God was with him, and Joseph gained favor by interpreting dreams for other prisoners.

Eventually, Pharaoh heard about Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams. Joseph explained Pharaoh’s troubling dreams as a warning that seven years of abundance would be followed by seven years of severe famine. Pharaoh placed Joseph in charge of preparing Egypt for the crisis.

During the famine, Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt seeking food, not realizing the powerful official before them was Joseph. After testing their hearts and seeing their repentance, Joseph revealed his identity and forgave them. He recognized that although his brothers intended harm, God used those events for good—to save many lives.

Joseph’s life is a powerful example of trusting God through suffering, remaining faithful during injustice and extending forgiveness to others. And when we extend these acts to others we too will enjoy the blessings of God and see all the blessings written about in Deuteronomy 28

“All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God: You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed. You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out. The Lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven. The Lord will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to.” (Deut 28:2-8)

Life Has Problems With or Without God

Life brings challenges whether someone follows Christ or not. The source of those struggles my differ- some are the result of living apart from God’s design, while others come simply from walking faithfully with Christ in a sin filled world. Jesus told us that we would have tribulation, but we must take heart, because He has overcome the world.

When we live “in Christ” surrendering to the teachings of Jesus, removing and avoiding the traps of sin, we have built our lives on a solid foundation. This foundations is Jesus, and He never fails. Any battle we choose to fight against we will win as a surrendered follower of Jesus.

This is Good News! All issues are under our feet. When we stay confident in God’s Word and pray Scripture based prayers, we can resist evil influences and endure challenges that affect our families, health , finances and personal lives. Though struggles may come, we face them with confidence knowing God’s Word is the remedy to overcome evil. Scripture is powerful because it is God, meaning God is as good as His Word, if He says it is done.

“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)

We simply cannot lose when we stay in obedience to Christ and fight our battles on our knees with Scripture based prayers. Hallelujah!

Food For Thought,

Lisa