“So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another” (Romans 12:5)

This is the reason we are to be longsuffering (patiently enduring injuries, ‘slow to anger”), we are all ONE body. Isn’t that amazing, we are members—one of another--. The most amazing thing (and actually it is called amazing grace) is that we have become members one of another through the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus Christ for His body. No amount of suffering we will ever endure will cause us to sweat great drops of blood, none.

God is a God of patience. “Now may the God of patience (longsuffering) and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus.” (Romans: 15:5)

“The Lord is full of compassion, slow to anger” (Psalm 145:8)

“ God's mercy respects the creature as miserable, His patience (longsuffering) respects the creature as criminal; mercy pities him in his misery, and patience bears with the sin which engendered the misery and is giving birth to more” (Stephen Charnock)

We should think on the patient longsuffering of God often for it is manifested towards us daily. He is “longsuffering to us-ward” (II Peter 3:9) and as a pattern for us the Spirit has given us this exhortation through Paul’s letter to the church at Colosse;

“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do” (Colossians 3:12-13)

To Avoid:

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, “let me remove the speck from your eye”; and look, a plank is in your own eye? (Matthew 7:1-4)

I don’t know about you but the planks in my eye are large and yet we have that tendency to judge one another , especially by guessing at motives. We should never, never think that we can discern someone’s motive, God alone can see the heart!

To Cultivate:

“Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those that are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient will all. See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.” (Thess. 5:14-15)

“Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another, not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord” (Romans 11: 10-11)