Patience - Waiting Well: The Spirit's Gift of Perseverance

Kate DeMello
Apr 11
3 min read

In our instant-gratification culture, patience is a rare commodity. We want everything now. But God often operates on a different timescale, and the patience of Galatians 5:22, makrothumia, is not merely about waiting; it's about how we wait, and it's a how that is utterly impossible without the Holy Spirit's enabling.

The Depths of ***Makrothumia*: Long-Suffering, Not Gritting Your Teeth**

Makrothumia literally means "long-suffering." It's a steadfastness, a perseverance, a willingness to endure difficult circumstances without giving up or becoming bitter. It's not passive resignation; it's an active trust in God's timing and goodness, even when we don't understand. It's a patience rooted in hope, a hope that is itself a gift of the Spirit (Romans 15:13).

The Counterfeits: The Impatience of Self-Reliance

We try to "be patient" in ways that are ultimately self-defeating, because they are rooted in self-effort:

The White-Knuckler: We grit our teeth and try to "tough it out," forcing ourselves to endure. This leads to frustration, resentment, and burnout, because it's fueled by our own limited strength, not the Spirit's power.
The Passive-Aggressive Protester: We outwardly appear calm, but inwardly we're seething with resentment. We might make sarcastic remarks or subtly sabotage the situation, all while claiming to be "patient." This is not patience; it's masked anger.
The Resigned Defeatist: We give up hope that things will ever change, sinking into a state of passive resignation. We stop praying, stop believing, and simply accept our circumstances with a weary sigh. This is not patience; it's despair.
The Demander: We make demands of others and/or God. We feel we are owed certain outcomes and become angry, frustrated, and impatient when they are not met.
The Anxious Fixer: We scramble to resolve problems immediately, driven by discomfort with uncertainty. This restless activity, fueled by fear rather than faith, prevents us from resting in God's timing and trusting His process.

The Spirit's Work: The Giver of Endurance

The Holy Spirit cultivates makrothumia not by removing our difficulties, but by transforming our hearts in the midst of them. He is the source of true patience:

Revealing God's Patience Toward Us: The Spirit reminds us of God's incredible patience with us, His slowness to anger and abounding love (Psalm 103:8). This realization melts our hearts and inspires us to extend patience to others.
Assuring Us of God's Goodness and Sovereignty: The Spirit assures us that God is working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28), even the things that seem delayed or difficult. This assurance fuels our perseverance.
Empowering Us to Endure: The Spirit gives us the strength to endure trials, not in our own power, but in His. He strengthens us from within, enabling us to persevere with hope (Colossians 1:11).
Transforming Our Perspective: The Spirit helps us to see things from God's eternal perspective. He reminds us that our present sufferings are temporary and that God is working out a greater purpose (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).
Interceding: We cannot exhibit patience without the Spirit's intercession.

Practices for Cultivating Patience (Yielding to the Spirit):

These are not techniques to become patient; they are ways to yield to the Spirit, who alone produces patience:

Prayer: Don't pray for patience as an abstract virtue. Pray for the Holy Spirit to fill you, to reveal God's character to you, to empower you to endure specific situations with His patience.
Scripture Meditation: Immerse yourself in passages about God's patience, faithfulness, and timing (Psalm 27:14, Lamentations 3:25-26, Galatians 6:9, James 5:7-11), allowing the Spirit to speak to your heart.
Confession: Confess your impatience, your anger, your resentment, your attempts to control the timing of events. Acknowledge your dependence on the Spirit.
Surrender: Release your desire to control outcomes and timelines. Trust that God is working, even when you can't see it. This is an act of faith, empowered by the Spirit.
Practice (in the Spirit's Power): Look for small opportunities to practice yielding to the Spirit's prompting to be patient – waiting in line, dealing with interruptions, listening without interrupting.