Longsuffering

Colossians 1:11 — “Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.”

Few qualities are as difficult to cultivate as longsuffering. It is one thing to wait; it is another to wait with patience and joy. Longsuffering means enduring trials, delays, and hardships without giving in to bitterness or despair. It means bearing with others in love even when they frustrate us. In short, longsuffering is love stretched out over time.

Paul reminds us that this kind of endurance does not come from human grit but from God’s glorious power. It takes divine strength to remain patient in seasons of testing. It takes the Spirit’s work to enable us to keep forgiving, keep trusting, and keep serving when the flesh wants to quit.

Waiting seasons are often growing seasons. God does some of His deepest work in our souls while we are waiting for Him to act. He teaches us dependence, humility, and faith. He refines our character so that when the harvest comes, we are ready to receive it with gratitude.

If you find yourself in a season of delay, do not waste it in frustration. Ask God to give you longsuffering through His Spirit. Waiting is not a detour from God’s plan; it is part of His plan to shape you into Christ’s image.