Longsuffering
5 min read
4 Then Jehoahaz sought the LORD’s favor, and the LORD listened to him, for he saw how severely the king of Aram was oppressing Israel. 5 The LORD provided a deliverer for Israel, and they escaped from the power of Aram. So the Israelites lived in their own homes as they had before. 6 But they did not turn away from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit; they continued in them. Also, the Asherah pole remained standing in Samaria.
— 2 Kings 13:4-6
Jehoahaz, like every one of the kings of Israel “did evil in the eyes of the LORD” (verse 2). And yet, when he “sought the LORD’s favor, … the LORD listened to him.”
None of us are ever deserving of the LORD’s favor. But as with Jehoahaz, the LORD always listens to us in our time of need when we earnestly seek Him.
Whenever God brings peace out of chaos, He provides for us a fresh start, a new beginning, another day to live according to His ways and follow after Him. This is what the Apostle Paul meant when He said “God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance” (Romans 2:4).
From a human perspective, God’s kindness to us makes no sense at all, because “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). In fact,
10 As it is written:
“There is no one righteous, not even one;
11 there is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks God.”
— Romans 3:10-11
It pleases God to extend His kindness to us even knowing that we will fail Him again. There is a term that describes an attribute of God that English Bible’s often translate as “patience,” but a more literal translation is “longsuffering.” I think “longsuffering” better describes who God is, especially considering that the word “suffering” comes from the same root as “passion.”
I realize that I need to take my repentance as seriously as I seek God’s favor in my time of need. Many times, my “need” isn’t even that critical. Yet, God will often answer my prayers anyway. Should I not turn to God with the same urgency when it comes to turning away from my sin?
My journey of faith has been one where God has grown me in the assurance of my salvation, despite my sinful nature. Maybe that is why God hears our prayers even when we continue to stumble. We need that assurance exactly because we continue to stumble.
At the same time, greater maturity and greater joy comes when we respond with repentance to God’s kindness. Change my hear, O God, and my heart will be changed.
Father, You alone are good. You alone are righteous. Where would any of us be without Your longsuffering? But let me not rely on Your longsuffering, Lord. Change my heart, O God. May Your kindness lead me to repentance that Your joy may be made complete in me and in us. In Jesus’s name. Amen.