LONGSUFFERING

Testament: 1) Makrothumia (great temper)--patience with regards to persons, and

2) Hupomone (to abide under)--patience with regard to things. We need both

kinds of longsuffering--patience with people who irritate and provoke us, and

patience in the annoying circumstances of life. The word used here by the Apostle

Paul is makrothumia, patience with regard to persons. Sometimes we think we

just can not live under certain conditions. We cannot tolerate people or circum-

stances that are making our lives unbearable. The Apostle Paul found himself in

such a situation and he prayed three times that God would alter, or ameliorate, the

conditions in which he found himself day by day:

And lest I should be exalted above measure through

the abundance of revelations, there was given to me

a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet

me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this

thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart

from me. And he said unto me, My grace is suffi-

cient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in

weakness (II Cor. 12:7-9).

Three times he prayed, and he told God that he could not live under those

conditions. His cry was, "God I can't take it anymore. The scourgings, the

afflictions, the distresses, the reproaches, the persecutions, the imprisonments,

the stonings, and the care of all the churches are more than I can bear." But in all

three prayers, God gave him only one answer, "My grace is sufficient for thee."

That was God's answer. God did not say that He would take the thorn away.

God did not say He would make it any easier. He just said, "My grace is sufficient

for thee." Therefore, by the grace of God, Paul could, with patience, endure the

thorn in the flesh, the buffeting of the messenger of Satan. There is only one

reason for failure in the Christian experience. The failure is not caused by condi-

tions or circumstances. We fail because we do not appropriate the grace of God.

God's grace has provided whatever we need to live in any condition and under any

circumstances with joy and thanksgiving.

There is a powerful little scripture tucked away in one of Paul's greetings:

All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of

Caesar's household (Phil. 4:22).

The saints in Caesar's house salute you. Isn't that great? The saints in Caesar's

house salute you. Caesar, Nero, was very cruel--torturing, murdering, and

destroying every Christian he could find. But in his palace, handing him his cup

every day was a Christian; making his bed was a Christian; waiting on his table

was a Christian. Caesar desired to destroy them, but they were right in his house.

You can serve God in any place under any condition. While Caesar was ordering

his soldiers to kill every Christian they could find, the Christians were living in his

palace. If people can live for God in Caesar's house, they can live for God any-

where. Longsuffering, then, is being patient, is being able to endure, is being able

to live life joyfully and victoriously in every situation.