By Peter Amsterdam
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In the book of Exodus, we are told that when Moses was on Mount Sinai, God revealed aspects of His character to him. “The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness’” (Exodus 34:6).
This description of God’s character as being slow to anger speaks to His patience. Throughout the Old Testament, we read of His patience with the people of Israel as they continually sinned against Him.
“Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not faithful to his covenant. Yet he, being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often and did not stir up all his wrath” (Psalm 78:37–38).
God was patient over centuries. “For a long time I have held my peace; I have kept still and restrained myself” (Isaiah 42:14).
Jesus made reference to His Father’s patience in the parable of the wicked tenants (Mark 12:1–11). The story goes like this: The owner of a vineyard leased it to some tenants who didn’t give him his share of the crop. When he sent one of his servants to collect it, the tenants beat him up and sent him back empty-handed. When others were sent, the tenants beat some and killed others. Eventually the owner sent his son, whom the tenants also killed.
Jesus then asked the listeners, “What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do? I’ll tell you—he will come and kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others” (Mark 12:9). Through this parable, Jesus made the point that His Father sent prophet after prophet to lead Israel to repentance, and now He had sent His Son. Among other things, Jesus was highlighting His Father’s patience.
The New Testament authors also referenced both God’s and Jesus’ patience. When referring to Israel’s history, Luke wrote: “In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30).
The apostle Paul wrote: “I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:16).
And in the book of Romans, he wrote: “What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory” (Romans 9:22–23).
For his part, the apostle Peter wrote: “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
Numerous times within the New Testament we are called to be patient as well. Patience is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). In 1 Corinthians 13, we’re told that “Love is patient and kind” (1 Corinthians 13:4).
There are two Greek words used in the New Testament that are translated as patient or patience, and they are used in two different ways. The first type of patience (hypomonē) refers to learning how to live when we are in difficult circumstances and facing the pressures of life. It means to persevere, to bear up under; to not surrender or succumb when going through difficult times or tough circumstances. It is often translated as endurance, which is the ability to stand up under adversity, and as perseverance, the ability to progress in spite of the adversity. This type of patience refers to responding to adversity in a godly manner.1
Adversity in our lives can come from numerous sources, such as illness, tragedy, war, loss of employment, economic crises, and discrimination or opposition due to our faith. Throughout Scripture we read of biblical characters who patiently persevered in difficult or trying circumstances, sometimes for years on end, and were blessed by the Lord at the end of their ordeal.
This type of enduring and persevering patience has a strong connection to hope. We are patient in trying circumstances because we believe that the Lord will give us grace to endure and He will work in and through our circumstances—whether in this life or the next, just as He did for the forefathers of faith.
“Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4).
“We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame” (Romans 5:3–5).
“For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised” (Hebrews 10:36).
We endure, we persevere, because we have faith in God and in the hope of overcoming, if not in this life, then in eternity. Therefore, we can be patient in adversity.
James wrote about patience, pointing out “how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient” (James 5:7–8). He pointed to prophets throughout Scripture who faithfully and patiently served God, yet died before their prophecies were fulfilled, as well as Job, who suffered greatly and patiently waited for God’s healing (James 5:9–11).
Patience calls for us to trust in God for His timing and to have faith that He knows what is best for every situation. When things don’t happen as rapidly as we would like, we express patience by acknowledging that He loves us and has our best interests at heart. We place our trust in Him, while having hope based on faith that He will answer according to His will. Patience enables us to endure hardships and persevere through difficulties.
The second Greek word translated as patience (makrothymia) expresses the quality of one who is able to avenge him- or herself, yet refrains from doing so. This refers to slowness in avenging wrong, and is often translated as longsuffering in the King James Bible translation. It is understood as not responding to a provocation, intentionally not doing or saying something when you could do so. This is the word translated as patience in the list of the fruit of the Spirit. It’s also the word used when Paul wrote love is patient.
We can understand this form of patience as patience with people, being forbearing or longsuffering with the faults, mistakes, wrong attitudes, and sometimes intentional unkindness or cruelty of people around us. God is patient with us because He is “merciful and gracious” (Exodus 34:6). By the same token, our patience with others is akin to being merciful.
One area where this second kind of patience (makrothymia) is needed is when we are mistreated in some way. Patience in such cases is considered longsuffering, as in suffering mistreatment without becoming resentful and bitter. We can follow Jesus’ example: “When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23).
God is the one who judges justly, and as Scripture tells us, “I will repay, says the Lord.” Therefore, we are to be patient when we are in situations where we are mistreated, and “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves” (Romans 12:18–19).
This doesn’t mean that we don’t work to change our circumstances as needed or remove ourselves from a toxic situation, but it does mean that we don’t retaliate, we don’t seek revenge. Patience calls for us to trust God, to pray for the Lord to bring changes in others and in our circumstances, and to trust that our just God will bestow justice in His time. As challenging as it might be, Jesus called us to even love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44).
Another facet of life that requires patience is tolerance of others’ shortcomings, faults, and failures. Everyone has shortcomings—ourselves included. Usually they are minor things people do, which aren’t wrong or evil, nor are they directed at us, but they bother us. We notice them mainly in those that we are around the most—our spouse, children, friends, co-workers, etc. Patience in this case is tolerating the shortcomings of others and making allowance for each other’s faults and shortcomings out of love, as we read in Ephesians:
“Walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love. … Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:1–2, 32).
It is helpful to remind ourselves that God is patient with us every day, and not just with our personality quirks, but with our sins as well. He doesn’t get angry or annoyed at our faults and failings; rather, in His love and mercy, He is patient with us time and time again. Sadly, we often lose our patience with those closest to us, those we love most, because of familiarity. We get bothered by the small recurring things they do that annoy us, sometimes not realizing that we also do things that annoy them. As His followers, we are called to extend mercy and patience to others and to do to others what we would like them to do to us (Luke 6:31).
An interesting thing about patience is how interconnected it is with other virtues. When we practice patience toward others, we are also showing kindness, compassion, gentleness, and humility—all traits that Jesus manifests. Cultivating the virtue of patience is part of our growth in Christlikeness.
Originally published June 2017. Adapted and republished November 2026. Read by Reuben Ruchevsky.
1 Jerry Bridges, The Practice of Godliness (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2010), 200.
