Tag: Forbearance

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. — Colossians 3:13 NIV

One of hardest things about Christianity is the whole “love one another” business. We endorse the noble notion, certainly — who wouldn’t? — but like so many lofty ideals, it is easier to affirm the concept than to assert it in the octagon cage match of life. And perhaps its most difficult application is with our fellow believers, for it is to each other that we make ourselves most vulnerable, and it is of each other that our expectations are highest. Then it is to believers that Paul writes, “Bear with each other . . .”¹

What we need most to understand is that each of us in Christ is a work in progress. We all have “our thing” with which we struggle: it may manifest outwardly, like physical addictions or salty language; likely it roils even more so inwardly in the form of judgmentalism, grudges, pride, or the kind of fear that sends us scurrying back to the familiar rathole of “me first.” So, Jesus redirects all of mankind: “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?”² Don’t we have enough unfinished work inside ourselves than to kibitz about others’ shortcomings? And haven’t they enough troubles without us piling on? But I think even more to the point is this: When we see our own flaws and their far-flung dimensions in our life — and when we exasperate ourselves over our repeated failures — might we then view our brothers and sisters as fellow strugglers battling against temptations just as we are? We all are undergoing transformation into the image of Christ.³

So we are called to forbear, to extend the fruit of the Spirit — patience and self-control, in particular — to others as God conforms us to the image of his Son.⁴ Then may judging give way to understanding, accusation yield to intercession, gossip succumb to encouragement, and grievance bow to forgiveness. This is God’s higher way for us. May we walk in it.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”⁵ — Jesus

Father, we are lured to the ways that separate us from each other, but Your Spirit draws us to unity in Christ. Grace us to hear Your voice and choose Your path of forbearance and encouragement, that the body of Christ would flourish as one. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

¹ Colossians 3:13 NIV
² Matthew 7:3 NASB (cf Luke 6:41)
³ 2 Corinthians 3:18
⁴ Romans 8:29
⁵ Matthew 5:7 ESV