Patience || Galatians

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience…
“But the fruit of the Spirit is Patience.” The Greek word of patience is μακροθυμία and it means a state of being able to bear up under provocation (being provoked). Patience (μακροθυμία) is the ability to face trouble without blowing up. In short, patience means your fuse is growing instead of shorting.
What’s the antonym for patience? The antonym or opposite of patience is, yes, impatience but it more clearly we could use the world resentment. Resentment is prolong bitterness about past events. God said, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice” (Ephesians 4:31). “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled…” (Hebrews 12:15). Resentment is bitterness toward God or people. What quietly lies behind resentment? Pride. What kills pride? Forgiveness.
Dr. Timothy Keller says in his book Forgive: “You can stay bitter toward someone only if you feel superior to them. ‘I would never do anything like that!’” Second, you cannot forgive others when you are insecure. If your identity is in Christ, you will freely forgive because you have been forgiven by God.
But because of sin, we act like Unforgiving Servant in the Parable from Matthew 18. “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt” (Matthew 18:23-29). You little twit. You were infinitely forgiven of your debt, but you would not forgive an infinitesimal debt. “Have patience with me but I will be impatience with you, because I am more important than you.” That’s sin.
God is patient. “The LORD passed before [Moses] him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger…” (Exodus 34:6).
1) God’s Patience
2) God’s patience in His Children
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