Theme Scripture: Galatians 5:22
"But the fruit of the Spirit is...longsuffering"

   As we continue with our series, the "Fruit of the Spirit", we come to the topic of longsuffering. Longsuffering is something we do not like to go through. In our modern day society where everything is fast and "high-speed", when it comes to testing and trials and even waiting on God, we think that it should be the same also. We, as human beings, do not like to suffer. We like suffering, as long as we aren't the ones suffering. However, as we are nearing the return of Christ, Jesus is sending out messages to whip his people into shape. God is telling us that in these last days, we will have to have some longsuffering.
  What is longsuffering anyway? Well, to find that out, just separate the word into two: long and suffering. As a result, longsuffering is the ability to suffer long in spite of  persecution and problems, especially when done by other people. It is the ability to have and show patience in spite of pain. You see, we don't like pain. However, the early church along had to go through great pain and suffering, but never said a mumbling word. However, nowadays, we can't pay a bill on time, and we crying and worrying and stressing ourselves to the casket. We get a little pain here and there along the way and we saying "Lord, I can't take it. Take me home." We need to man up, people of God!
  Longsuffering is one of the fruit of the Spirit because God also has longsuffering.
Psalms 86:15 says "But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth." Romans 9:22 says "What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endureth with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction."  2 Peter 3:9 says "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise [to come again], as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." There are so many more scriptures that all prove that God has and uses longsuffering. And because God has and uses longsuffering, and we are his child through spiritual birth and his spirit dwells in us; and because longsuffering is one of the fruit of the Spirit, we too have and must use our longsuffering because we take on the attributes, likeness, and characteristics of our father.
We will go through many test and trials. However, that does not give us the right to give up on God. The devil is going to use people to get on your nerves all the time. However, that is not an excuse to loose your temper and give them a few choice words. You might really want something and you are praying and praying and praying for it, but don't see the results of what you are praying for. The devil will say"Did God really said he is going to bless you? Has God really said he is going to save your children? I mean, just look. You have been praying forever, but your children are still doing wrong. You still didn't get your heart's desire, like he allegedly said he was going to do. God is a liar. He doesn't here you! He will never here you, not after what you did a couple days ago. Stop stressing yourself out. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!" However, longsuffering would say what James Cleveland said in his 1990 classic "What Shall I Do", "I'm going to wait for an answer from you. I have nothing to loose, O Lord, I'm going to wait."
   Longsuffering can only be achieved by having the Spirit of God. No Holy Ghost, no longsuffering. Why do I say that? I say that because only God knows the minds and hearts of every individual. He, by his Spirit, opens your eyes and gives you the ability just like Jesus to pray "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
  Let us all strive to be longsuffering and to withhold our wrath through the power of the Spirit and not through our own means. Only then will we be able to live life without enmity and anger at one another.