Patience(to endure, suffer)the quality or capacity of being patient; to endure something with calmness; the ability to willingly accept or tolerate delay or hardship. (The same root word led to the word 'passion', which is still used in its original sense of 'suffer' when describing the last week of Christ's life.) Its word-field includes long-suffering, forbearance, restraint, perseverance.
Galatians 5:22 defines patience for those who are filled with the spirit. I'm often overconfident in my 'patience performance'. But being in a long distance relationship has really begun to open my eyes to my own shortcomings in this area. It's been only two weeks since I have last seen him, yet I am quick to pine and complain. It's difficult for me to fathom what it might be like to physically lose a loved one to illness or some other form of tragedy.
The Greek term in Galatians 5:22 is (makrothumia) "long, distant in time or large-view + (thumos)passion, rage, the "emotions" of suffering, with a usual meaning of having an enduring/calm temper.
While I may appear to friends and acquaintances as placid in mind and action, in actuality, these days I am more solicitous than ever. There is no personal doubt that other factors(such as the fast approaching graduation date, career/grad school searching, and the current state of the nation) are contributing to this anxiety. My desire for not only myself, but for all Christians alike, is to trust the Lord.
Colossians 1:9-12
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.
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