God's Patience

"The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent." 2 Peter 3:9 (NLT)

I've been pondering lately the fact that God has been so wonderfully patient with me. He's been known to take a life on the spot (like Ananias and Sephira, who lied to the Holy Spirit in Acts chapter 4)... as well he should, considering that we all deserve it, if we're willing to be honest about it.

God is infinitely and patiently waiting for us to repent. When we repent, it's not that we stop sinning and never sin again, but that we continue this short life in constant battle with sin in obedience to God's word. There is a saying that explains, "Failure is not falling down, but refusing to get up". Therefore, if we fall (and we will), we get up and we keep on pushing for the finish line. It's important to remember that we are saved by grace, but are now filled with a desire to obey God's commandments. 1 John 2:3 says, "And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments." (NLT)

Galatians 5:22-23 shows examples of the "fruits of the Spirit", of which one is patience. These "fruits" are of and from God. Patience is one of God's attributes. We are impatient at our best as humans. When God enters our lives, he puts the Holy Spirit into us. As we continue on our trek in this life, we stumble, struggle, and fall, but throughout all of this, God is growing our patience as we strive to be "Christ-like" as we are called to become.

God's patience is amazing. When someone commits a horrible act, we demand immediate justice. But when we ourselves do something that we should not do, we hope and pray for patience from God. He does not want us to perish (or be destroyed, as the NLT translation of the Bible puts it).

The fact that you are alive enough to read this blog demonstrates God's innate goodness and the wonderful fact that God is indeed a patient God, since we continue to goof up and commit violations of the commands that were lain down before us through His Word.

Back to 2 Peter 3:9, it says that "...he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent." (NLT) I believe that the Lord has not yet returned because he is patient with us, not desiring that any of us perish, allowing us time to repent. Exodus 34:6-7 says,

The Lord passed in front of Moses, calling out,

“Yahweh! The Lord!

The God of compassion and mercy!

I am slow to anger

and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.

I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations.

I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin.

But I do not excuse the guilty..." (NLT)

In conclusion (in case you are still reading :), Romans 5:6-8 explains something awesome!

"When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." (NLT)

Additionally, one of my favorite verses says in Romans 8:1,

"So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus." (NLT)