Taking a look at the fruit of Forbearance to conclude the month of July. I pray these verses and meditation bless you x
Galatians 5:22-25
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
Fruit Of Focus- ForbearanceGalatians 5:22-25
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
"Gracious Father, Gentle Saviour, Lord You have been good to me.
Jesus, You have saved my soul and called me to a life that’s free!
Help me Lord, to serve Your people. Keep my heart in check, I pray.
Since I now live by the Spirit, may I walk in step each day.
Fill me with divine forbearance through each battle that I face.
Help me bear the Spirit’s fruit and may I always act with grace.
Let me have good-natured patience whether woes be big or small.
May I not “enforce my rights!” but show Your gentleness to all.
Help me overlook the insult, may my flesh be kept at bay.
Let my temper have no place as tolerance comes in to play.
When I find a person irksome, may I act with calm restrain.
Let my conduct shine Your light while bringing honour to Your name."
Philippians 4:4-5
“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.”
Food For Thought
One dictionary app gives a definition of “forbearance” as “a delay in enforcing rights, claims or privileges.” Another definition found in the Oxford Dictionary says forbearance is, “patient self-control; restraint and tolerance.” In Law, it’s described as “the action of refraining from exercising a legal right, especially enforcing a legal debt.”
Forbearance is the quality of being patient and being able to forgive someone or control yourself in a difficult situation and my goodness, we could certainly do with seeing more forbearance shown in everyday life!
Nowadays, it seems that very few people are prepared to tolerate anything other than exactly what they want and tempers fly at the earliest sign of inconvenience. What a powerful testimony forbearance would be in a world where it’s all about “self” and “claiming your rights!”
One of the most powerful and incredible examples of forbearance I’ve found in Scripture, would have to be Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane when Judas came to betray Him. Jesus knew full-well what Judas planned to do and would have been in His perfect right to react in a fitting manner to the coming betrayal.
We can read in Matthew 26 however, that Jesus didn’t respond in the way most people would have responded and instead, met Judas with the words, “Friend, why have you come?”
These gentle words which extended one last chance to Judas to change his mind were filled with grace, patience and love beyond measure. Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane, was forbearance Personified. It’s a moving demonstration which shows us that our Great High Priest is a Saviour who suffered, just as we do. He never asks anything of us that He didn’t first display, Himself.
Questions For Personal Reflection
Is forbearance something I show in my life to those around me? Am I patient when things don’t go my way or people annoy me? Do I insist on “claiming what’s rightfully mine,” even if it means causing damage to others or to relationships? When I consider the grace and patience Jesus showed to others, does that inspire me to aim to be more like Him in my own situations? Is there a situation in my life right now where showing forbearance could save a friendship or perhaps even testify of God’s transforming power and love to a lost soul?