{"id":5670,"date":"2018-01-06T17:24:01","date_gmt":"2018-01-06T23:24:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tampaseo.expert\/focus\/?p=5670"},"modified":"2018-01-06T17:24:01","modified_gmt":"2018-01-06T23:24:01","slug":"long-suffering","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tampaseo.expert\/focus\/2018\/01\/06\/long-suffering\/","title":{"rendered":"Long-suffering"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Brad Harrub, Ph.D<\/strong>
\nHaving looked into the tearful eyes of parents whose children have abandoned the Faith, I have learned there are a million miles between our children \u201cgoing through the motions\u201d in reference to their spiritual lives versus our children possessing hearts that dictate their actions. In this column, I plan to share with you what I hope to instill in the hearts of my own children and those whom I love.<\/i>\u00a0<\/span>
\nOne of the costs of living in a technologically advanced world is the constant urgency we place on everything. Regular\u00a0\u201csnail mail\u201d\u00a0shipping is no longer good enough\u2014we order something online and we want it instantly (or at least within 48 hours!). Our society has become impatient as we hustle and bustle about in our daily walks.\u00a0<\/span>
\nBut all of this rushing about and technological advances have resulted, in many cases, in weakened personal relationships. Simply put we don\u2019t have time for people anymore\u2014and when we do interact,\u00a0often,\u00a0it is in a negative fashion.\u00a0We are quick to get angry and in many cases self-restraint has been thrown to the wind. People\u00a0are quick to point out the negative in others or unleash\u00a0anger on someone who didn\u2019t live up to\u00a0expectations.\u00a0Sadly, our\u00a0country\u00a0seems content to\u00a0raise\u00a0a generation of self-absorbed individualists rather than to heal a broken nation.\u00a0<\/span>
\nIn a day in which a Facebook post can instantly dissolve friendships, and intolerance of Biblical convictions seems to be the rule rather than the exception, the world is in desperate need of longsuffering.\u00a0It is a word that is not used often, but is frequently mentioned in the Bible.\u00a0It is one of those words we hear occasionally, but don\u2019t hear too many lessons on.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>
\nHere is what I intend to teach my children about longsuffering.<\/b>\u00a0<\/span>
\nPart of our goal in life is to become less like the world and more and more like God as we draw closer to Him. One of the\u00a0characteristics of God found in both the Old Testament and New Testament is longsuffering (e.g.,\u00a0Exodus 34:6; Number 14:18;\u00a0<\/i>Psalms 86:15; Romans 2:4; 9:22; 2 Corinthians 6:6;\u00a0Colossians 1:11;\u00a01 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 3:15).\u00a0When you were young, you memorized the \u201cFruits of the Spirit\u201d and\u00a0it is\u00a0no mistake that long-suffering\u00a0is included in that list\u00a0(Galatians 5:22-23).\u00a0But what does this word really mean?\u00a0<\/span>
\n\u00a0<\/span>
\nThe actual Greek word is\u00a0Makrothumia<\/i>.\u00a0Makro<\/i>\u00a0is commonly translated\u00a0\u201clong\u201d\u00a0and\u00a0Thumos<\/i>\u00a0is translated\u00a0\u201ctemper.\u201d\u00a0It is literally the opposite of short-tempered. This quality defines someone who is not quick to anger\u00a0and uses self-restraint. The Apostle Paul instructed the Christians at Colossae, \u201cTherefore, as\u00a0the<\/i>\u00a0elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;\u201d (Colossians 3:12).\u00a0He also mentioned this quality to the Christians at Ephesus: \u201cwith all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,\u201d Ephesians 4:2.\u00a0In fact, this trait is so important that Paul informed young Timothy that Jesus Christ\u00a0had shown a pattern for longsuffering for us to follow (1 Timothy 1:16).\u00a0<\/span>
\n\u00a0<\/span>
\nLongsuffering is a character trait that must be developed\u2014and should not be dependent on how someone else treats you. Consider God\u2019s longsuffering of mankind. It requires persistence and a desire to be more pleasing to God.\u00a0This is one of those traits that your dad still has to work on, even as an adult\u2014but I can tell you it does get easier with time.\u00a0<\/span>
\n\u00a0<\/span>
\nThere will be many occasions in your life where disagreements come up. How you deal with those disagreements is a reflection of you and tells a person how well you practice this godly trait of longsuffering.\u00a01 Corinthians 13 reminds us that longsuffering is\u00a0\u201clove\u201d\u00a0on trial.\u00a0While getting angry and shouting may make your point, it also says a lot about you as a person\u2014and whether you are cultivating the fruits of the Spirit.\u00a0Are you thinking more about self, or treating others\u00a0as you would have them treat you\u00a0(Matthew 7:12)?\u00a0<\/span>
\n\u00a0<\/span>
\nIt\u00a0won\u2019t take you long in life to realize there are many people who you will disagree with over various subjects. How do you think God would have you react in these situations?\u00a0Before you respond in haste remind yourself how you would feel if every time you made a mistake God quickly rebuked you.\u00a0Practice longsuffering and you will quickly discover that\u00a0the ability to demonstrate self-restraint will be beneficial in all walks of life\u2014work, church, and family. At the end of the day remember it\u2019s not about rushing here and there and having things your way\u2014but rather it\u2019s about the souls of men.\u00a0<\/span>
\n\u00a0<\/span>
\nLove,\u00a0<\/span>
\nDad\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Brad Harrub, Ph.D Having looked into the tearful eyes of parents whose children have abandoned the Faith, I have learned there are a million miles between our children \u201cgoing through the motions\u201d in reference to their spiritual lives versus our children possessing hearts that dictate their actions. In this column, I plan to share […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[46,66],"tags":[904,58,1291,1289,236,1292],"class_list":["post-5670","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-children","category-think-excerpts","tag-brad-harrub","tag-children","tag-disagree","tag-february-2013","tag-heart-of-the-matter","tag-longsuffering","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\nLong-suffering - Focus Press<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/tampaseo.expert\/focus\/2018\/01\/06\/long-suffering\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Long-suffering - Focus Press\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Brad Harrub, Ph.D Having looked into the tearful eyes of parents whose children have abandoned the Faith, I have learned there are a million miles between our children \u201cgoing through the motions\u201d in reference to their spiritual lives versus our children possessing hearts that dictate their actions. 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