The Patience of God
Patience is a communicable attribute of God. This means that it is a characteristic of his personality that he exhorts us to emulate as the Holy Spirit empowers us to do so.
Early – mid 20th Century theologian A. W. Pink defined Divine patience as “that power of control which God exercises over Himself, causing Him to bear with the wicked and forebear so long in punishing them.”
Perhaps the passage of Scripture that best demonstrates this definition of God’s patience is II Peter 3:9, which reads, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not willing that any should perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
God’s patience permeates Scripture. He was patient with the pre-flood world. Even after He concluded that “the earth was corrupt … and was full of violence” (Genesis 6:11), he waited decades for Noah to build the ark before bringing down the rain. The occasions during which God exhibited patience with the people of Israel are too extensive to even begin addressing in a short devotional.
Another useful definition of God’s patience is “slow to anger.” This phrase is used many times in Scripture. A few examples: “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love” (Psalm 103:8); “And he passed in front of Moses proclaiming, ‘The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness …’” (Exodus 34:6); and “But you, O Lord are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.” (Psalm 86:15.)
“Slow to anger” is perhaps the best phrase to describe how God expects His children to practice patience in our lives. If there is one passage that I would recommend to all husbands and wives, all parents and children, all believers in their relationships with other believers, it is “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.” (James 1:19-20.) How many broken relationships within families – and among believers – would be avoided if we all made it a priority to put this very wise teaching into practice in our lives daily?
May we, in the realm of patience, as in every aspect of life, emulate our Lord as we trust the Holy Spirit to enable us to do so.
—Doug
