Forbearance
Fruit #4 = Forbearance
What is forbearance?
We’ll discuss a few more interpretations and synonyms for this fruit, so that we can pinpoint exactly what God wants us to produce in us, but the NIV emphasizes the more relational aspect of this attribute, and interprets this Greek word, makrothymia, as forbearance. Forbearance is an accurate take on this concept, but is not my personal favorite interpretation of what I believe God wants us to know through this fruit. Other synonyms include: patience, endurance, constancy, steadfastness, perseverance. These are all markers of God’s character living through us, and we should strive for them all. But for the sake of this study, and because this specific word has been preserved and ordained by God, I think we should dissect its meaning to truly understand what God wants His people to reflect in this world.
The Greek word used in Galatians 5:22 is, Makrothymia, which is a combination of the words for “long” and “wrath”- Which in most English translations is interpreted as either long-suffering, patience, or forbearance.
-Case against ‘forbearance’ : Romans 2:4 translates the word for forbearance and patience back to back with different Greek words. Agnoeo specifically means forbearance and toleration. So makrothymia might specifically relate to ‘patience’ more. (Side note: remember, words only have meaning within their context, and the interpreter has the freedom to interpret the implicit meaning of the author regardless of the specific word they are using.)
-Here are my favorite of the translations of this fruit mentioned in Galatians 5:22 ranked from my favorite to least-favorite. I’ll use them all interchangeably throughout this lesson.
Long-suffering: We are long-term in our mindset in dealing with the difficulties of life. We suffer for the sake of others and God for a long time, because that is who God is, the ‘long-suffering’ God. We also ‘suffer-long’ by resisting the temptations that our flesh desires.
Patience: a more general term for the ability to wait. We are called to wait on the Lord, to not force our will, to not get restless in achieving our own will for our lives. We also saying ‘no’ to instant gratification.
Psalm 130:5 - “I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope”
Forbearance : a term more geared toward the relational aspect of patience, in my opinion. Marriage and family pastoral counselors and experts Jennifer Ripley and Everett Worthington define it like this, “Forbearance is the decision to restrain emotionally driven negative expressions of hurt or anger for the sake of the relationship or family. Forbearance involves acting kindly toward the other person. It does not show anger, anxiety, or distress over the other person’s wrongdoing.”
My personal understanding of the term makrothymia: The ability to supernaturally endure suffering and wait in our relationships with God and others.
How do we let the Holy Spirit produce more patience in our lives?
You could say that simply suffering more often helps you grow in patience, which is true, but there are pre-emptive things we can do to develop this trait so that when suffering does come, we’ll be ready. Below are a few areas of life that we need the patience that the Holy Spirit produces.
1. Patience in our situation - health, death, divorce, job loss, addiction, etc.
2. Patience for others - people have their own personalities and sins, and these can be difficult to put up with over time.
3. Patience for God - 2 Peter 3 reminds us that God’s timing is different than ours and that He is genuinely patient with us. In times of desperation and questioning, we need patience to be able to ‘wait on the Lord’.
David displays the anguish of these three areas in Psalm 13
How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?
3 Look on me and answer, Lord my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
4 and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
5 But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
6 I will sing the Lord’s praise,
for he has been good to me.
Reflection Question:
Have you ever felt like David here in Psalm 13?
-You are human, just as much as David was, and you are free to express your impatience, but you are also free to become patient like God.
-When we let the Lord fill us up with His Spirit, we can have supernatural long-suffering.
Makrothymia is not the subject of many Scriptures, but usually included in a list of qualities in the NT. This passage below has a form of makrothymia in verse 12 as the call to action.
10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. 11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. 12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience (form of makrothymia) inherit what has been promised. - Hebrews 6:10-12
There are great principles in that text that can help put the fruit of patience into practice. I’ve identified a few listed below.
Remember God’s character (V10) - He is not unjust, He sees you, He has not forgotten you, and knows your situation and the work you’ve put in. God won’t let the wicked go unpunished, He is for you. (Psalm 37:7,34)
Keep your eyes on the prize and be diligent (V11) - Here’s the main motivator for patience in the Christian walk, THINGS WILL GET BETTER. Either in this life or the next, Jesus will make all things new and He will redeem your situation. That is a promise that you can take to the bank as a Christian. Your hope will be “fully realized” in Christ.
-The same Spirit of long-suffering that indwelled Jesus, lives in us. (Hebrews 12:2, Romans 8:11)
“Imitate” those who have faith and makrothymia. We’ve got the prophets and Jesus who were examples of patience. (James 5:10) We are not defined by our situations, which is often an excuse for laziness. Rather, we actively emulate people who display great patience in their lives.
In summary, patience is “the ability to supernaturally endure suffering and wait in our relationships with God and others”
-we can develop this fruit by remembering God’s character, being diligent, and imitating those who carry this trait.
Reflection Questions:
Who is someone in your life that demonstrates the fruit of long-suffering?
If you woke up tomorrow full of the gift of patience, how would that be displayed by your actions?
It’s a dangerous prayer, but how can we pray for more of this fruit in your life?
