Stay In The Race

My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of

 trials,  because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, 

not deficient in anything.

James 1:2-4

Stay in the race, don't give up, don't act in haste, be patient . . .

We know that this is a tough passage of scripture to swallow; particularly in the trying times that we now find ourselves.  And yet every bible-believing follower of Jesus must strive to do so.

In our impatient, self-centered world, one quality of character has all but perished: longsuffering. Similar to patience and forbearance, longsuffering is the quality of self-restraint in the face of provocation. 

A person who is longsuffering is not quick to retaliate or promptly punishes someone who has insulted, offended or harmed him. The opposite of anger, it is intimately associated with mercy. Longsuffering is the quality of patience. It is the ability to cheerfully bear an unbearable situation and patiently endure.

King David did not act in haste when he returned to Ziklag to find that all the women and children (including his wives) had been taken captive by their first enemy as a free people.   (1 Samuel 30).  The standard of the world would be that King David would have been well within his right to immediately launch an attack.  But King David sought God first as to  the direction he should take. 

The leaders (according to the world's standards) of today's culture, as portrayed in the media, are angry, aggressive defenders of those who destroy, without patience or forethought, all opposing forces regardless of their personal qualities. But believers know that regardless of seemingly good intentions, this is not the way of God.

Longsuffering is a quality of God:  

And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,  Exodus 34:6

The Lord is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.   Numbers 14:18

But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.  Psalms 86:15

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.   2 Peter 3:9

And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;  2 Peter 3:15

Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? Romans 2:4

Jesus was most definitely our shining example of what it means and looks like to be longsuffering:

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Hebrews 12:2

Longsuffering was a quality evident in the ministry of the Apostle Paul:  

But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,  2 Timothy 3:10

We are told to be longsuffering with joyfulness:  

Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience, and longsuffering with joyfulness.  Colossians 1:11

®     We are called to be longsuffering:  

With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love. Ephesians 4:2

®     We are to preach the Word of God with longsuffering:  

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.  2 Timothy 4:2

®     Believers are to "put on" longsuffering as a spiritual quality:  

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering.   Colossians 3:12

®     Longsuffering is an attribute of God and thus a fruit of His Holy Spirit.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.  Galatians 5:22-23

The fruit of the spirit is in direct contrast to the works of the flesh.  

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.  Galatians 5:19-21

Is it any wonder why it is so critical that we adopt and put on more and more of the fruit of God's Holy Spirit?  As we allow it to encompass our entire being, it is with assurance that the works of the flesh dissipate!

(Biblical Studies)





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