FORBEARANCE
by Priscilla Van Sutphin
NT:463 anoche (an-okh-ay'); from NT:430;
self-restraint, i.e. tolerance:
NT:430 anechomai (an-ekh'-om-ahee); middle
voice from NT:303 and
NT:2192; to hold oneself up against, i.e.
(figuratively) put up with:
Gal 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, 23 Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge].
Let’s see how other versions state it:
Gal 5:22-25 CJB But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 humility, self control. Nothing in the Torah stands against such things. 24 Moreover, those who belong to the Messiah Yeshua have put their old nature to death on the stake, along with its passions and desires. 25 Since it is through the Spirit that we have Life, let it also be through the Spirit that we order our lives day by day.
joy,5479 chará peace,1515 eireénee 
makroqumi/ longsuffering,3115 makrothumía
makroqumi/ longsuffering,3115 makrothumía NT:3115 makrothumia (mak-roth-oo-mee'-ah); from the same as NT:3116; longanimity, i.e. (objectively) forbearance or (subjectively) fortitude: KJV - longsuffering, patience.
Vines: 2. makrothumeo (makroqume/w, NT:3114), akin to A, No. 2, "to be long-tempered," is translated "to have patience," or "to be patient," in Matt 18:26,29; 1 Thess 5:14, KJV (RV, "be longsuffering"); James 5:7 (1st part, "be patient"; 2nd part, RV, "being patient," KJV, "hath long patience"); in Heb 6:15, RV, "having (KJV, after he had) patiently endured." See LONGSUFFERING.
Prov 25:15 AMP
15 By long forbearance and calmness of spirit a judge or ruler is persuaded, and soft speech breaks down the most bonelike resistance. [Gen 32:4; 1 Sam 25:24; Prov 15:1; 16:14.]
In proverbs, it is saying that if we forbear, and are very patient, then by this character, and soft speech, that it breaks down the most obstinate hearts.
Longsuffering is not something I’ve seen a whole lot of in the church. I’ve seen it in my surrogate “mom” more than anyone I know in the world so far. I’ve seen it in many unlikely friends. I see it in Chinese converts more than the Americans I know.
To forbear means that even if you feel like saying something nasty, or don’t feel like putting up with something because it is so annoying, you do it anyhow.
JUST as GOD tolerates our unfaithfulness and sinning again and again, because sanctification is PROCESS, that we also are urged to do the same with others. I haven’t seen that being taught in church much. I see intolerance and impatience more than that.
But GOD’s love forbears with the faults of others. You know yourself that there are secret sins we all have, and desire to be rid of. There are weaknesses in our character, and sometimes I feel HE allows some of that just to test the rest of the church, or to help us stay humble. But over and over it is clear that we are to be more loving and patient with each other than what we are now.
The world knows most American ministers as intolerant, selfish, greedy, insensitive to their needs and prideful beyond anything their culture is usually familiar with and it’s left a sour taste in many a mouth. I want my words to be apples of gold in settings of silver, like the bible says. But too often I fail. I don’t fail as much as I used to, which is good. But I’m not where I want to be. Lately I have seen many prophetic people who have a big huge grudge on their shoulders for all the persecution and pain they have been through. I know I’ve gone through the shredding also. And I’ve had to repent over and over for anything I’ve held against anyone who ever cursed me, or underestimated me, or misunderstood me. The whole process of dying to self is painful. The Lord knows that. He sent His Son on this earth to experience what we go through, and to show a more excellent way of living and being.
I pray He will send his fire into my heart and soul to consume everything that stands in the way of my ability to be more like HIM. I pray He will do that for all of us.
Rom 2:4 AMP says
4 Or are you [so blind as to] trifle with and presume upon and despise and underestimate the wealth of His kindness and forbearance and long-suffering patience? Are you unmindful or actually ignorant [of the fact] that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repent (e to change your mind and inner man to accept God's will)?
See He is kind, and is long-suffering and patient towards us. He is the kindest person I know. He once told me, “I never get tired of you !” I just broke when He said this, as I’d grown up feeling everyone got tired of me. HE NEVER GETS TIRED of YOU. We have a hard time believing that, and a religious spirit will try to convince you that He’s had enough of your mistakes, enough of your weaknesses. A religious spirit is a harsh taskmaster like those of the Jews in the land of Egypt. It is never satisfied with what you do, or who you are. When I was watching the movie of JOSEPH once, I was struck with this when in the movie, the person in charge of the slaves, was commanding Joseph to carry this huge jug for water down to the river to fill it. He kept hurrying him, as though he wasn’t fast enough.
Then as he went he purposely tripped him and Joseph fell in the sandy mud, then, on top of it, the harsh taskmaster, whipped on him and ridiculed him for falling. It is a really great picture of how the enemy treats us. He trips you up with his lies and deceit, planting thoughts in your mind, then turns around and accuses YOU, when it is he who put them there. He accuses you before God, and God to you. Either you aren’t good enough, or God just won’t put up with you. You can’t pray enough, you can’t read enough, you can’t fast enough, you can’t do anything right enough for him.
You’re too fat, you’re too thin, you’re too slow or you’re too fast. You’re too merciful or not merciful enough. One thing Satan will not do, is urge you to spend more time with Jesus. HA ! He doesn’t want you being intimate with Holy Spirit, because then you might actually get more healing, or recognize the lies he’s been feeding you. You might hear from God. The glory may come down as you worship, and rest, and then what ? God may actually talk to you, and love on you, and you may get HAPPY, you may get JOYFUL, and it would ruin his plan for you. It is good to forbear with the LORD and to spend time with HIM. It is NEVER a waste of time. For in that time, He can come and touch you. You can be changed and transformed.
Rom 3:25-26 NKJV
25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
HOW AWESOME IS GOD that He was so forbearing to take away all our sins, and to justify us before HIM. He wanted us to be blameless when we stand before Him in the end. So Jesus came and accomplished what no other sacrifice could do.
He made us blameless in the sight of God, that when HE looks at us, He sees us through the blood of Jesus. HE doesn’t see you. He doesn’t see others like we see ourselves or see others who are saved. He sees their whole life, knows everything that ever happened to them, knows every prayer, all the shame and sin they’ve been through and still loves them, and us. THAT is why Jesus told us to LOVE ONE ANOTHER as HE has loved us and cared for us ! That is a life time task to achieve. But HE will continue to help us, sanctifying us with His glory till we become like Him.
Col 1:11 AMP [We pray] that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, [to exercise] every kind of endurance and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy,
Heb 5:1-2 Amp 1 FOR EVERY high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in things relating to God, to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He is able to exercise gentleness and forbearance toward the ignorant and erring, since he himself also is liable to moral weakness and physical infirmity.
See that ! The problem is our pride. We are so prideful sometimes, we get impatient and intolerant with the weaknesses of others, with the limitations of others. Isn’t that why so many of us just don’t want to help others sometimes? Sometimes it’s because we know we lack the patience to do so. Some people just don’t care. But others are afraid of failing to represent the Lord well, or are even afraid of that so dysfunctional person. Also our personalities are such that God doesn’t make us do what HE knows would be too much for us. He knows our frailties. He knows our weaknesses.
He continually is perfecting us, and as we are ready, He may bring more challenges so we learn how to deal with them. I know that when I first came into the church, they had no idea how to minister to someone like myself who was so abused.
I sought for years the Lord on this issue and had to take other routes to get help sometimes, because there just wasn’t the help in the church. Our society is also way too busy and performance & entertainment oriented to make for time for us to actually help others many times. I am so grateful that GOD doesn’t get tired of me. I’m so grateful that He understands me perfectly, and that HE is not a harsh taskmaster. HE is not DRIVING me to success in the way the world does. He’s not standing over me with a whip to urge me to strive. His ways are so opposite to the ways of the world, and that is part of our problem too in the church. Too much of the world has gotten into the harlot church of this hour.
We are living in end times, so we see a much divided church, many of whom are heading full on towards the acceptance of any sin,and to accept the all world religions - new world order church. She is the HARLOT riding the beast and she will persecute us who follow the LAMB. So we cannot forbear with that. We cannot forbear with the perversion that reigns in her. We are to COME OUT OF HER, and follow the NARROW PATH of HOLINESS. For without that, no one will see God. So this makes our path all the more treacherous from many who’ve walked before, and we need the discernment of the LORD more than ever.
More time with the LAMB + more time in the WORD & walking in it = discernment.
God bless us all to learn to forbear in all things that are holy, and to be patient as He is with ourselves and with others. God bless us to see what HE sees in others, and to see what HE sees in us. May the harsh taskmaster’s reign over our lives be broken, in the name and blood of Jesus ! AMEN !
