Patience - Part 2: God’s Patience With Us
Think about the last time you lost your temper. Maybe it was with your kids—again. Maybe it was with a coworker who just couldn’t get it right. Maybe it was with yourself, for making the same mistake again.
We’re quick to lose patience with others. But here’s a humbling truth: if God treated us the way we treat people, none of us would last a week.
Yet He doesn’t. He’s patient. Incredibly, impossibly patient. And understanding His patience with us changes everything about how we live—and how we treat others.
Slow to Anger
The most foundational description of God’s character in the Old Testament comes from Exodus 34:6:
“The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.”
The Hebrew phrase for “slow to anger” is erek appayim—literally “long of nose.” It’s an idiom that pictures someone whose anger takes a long time to arrive. While we’re quick-tempered (short fuse), God is long-tempered (long fuse).
This isn’t just a nice attribute—it’s central to who He is. Moses asked to see God’s glory, and this is what God revealed: not power, not majesty, but patience.
Think about that. When God wanted to show Moses what He’s really like, He didn’t point to the stars or split the sea. He pointed to His patience.
His Patience Is Salvation
Peter explains why God is so patient:
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)
God’s patience isn’t indifference. It’s not that He doesn’t care about sin. It’s that He cares about sinners—and He’s giving everyone time to turn back to Him.
His delay is mercy. His patience is salvation.
Every moment you’re breathing right now is evidence of God’s patience. Every sunrise you’ve seen, every prayer you’ve prayed, every chance you’ve had to start over—all of it flows from His “long nose,” His slow anger, His willingness to wait for you.
He Doesn’t Treat Us as We Deserve
Psalm 103 paints the most beautiful picture of God’s patience:
“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.” (Psalm 103:8-10)
Let that sink in: He does not treat us as our sins deserve.
If God operated on pure justice, we’d all be in trouble. But He operates on grace. He doesn’t keep a running tally of every wrong thing you’ve done. He doesn’t harbor anger. He doesn’t wait for you to mess up so He can say, “I told you so.”
Instead, He removes our sins from us “as far as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12). Infinite distance. Gone.
Examples of His Patience
The Bible is filled with stories of God’s patience with His people:
Israel in the wilderness — After God rescued them from Egypt, they complained, rebelled, made idols, and refused to enter the Promised Land. By all rights, God could have destroyed them. Instead, He sustained them for 40 years, providing manna, water, and His presence every single day.
Peter’s denial — Peter swore he’d never deny Jesus. Then, hours later, he did—three times. He failed spectacularly. But Jesus didn’t reject him. After the resurrection, Jesus restored Peter with three affirmations: “Do you love me?” Peter went on to become a pillar of the early church.
Paul’s persecution — Before Paul was an apostle, he was a murderer. He hunted Christians, approved of their executions, and tried to destroy the church. Yet on the road to Damascus, Jesus didn’t strike him down. He called him. Paul became the greatest missionary the church has ever known.
If God was patient with them, He’s patient with you.
The Mirror Test
Here’s where this gets personal: if God is this patient with you, how should you treat others?
Paul makes the connection explicit:
“Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?” (Romans 2:4)
God’s patience toward you is meant to transform you. It’s meant to soften your heart, not harden it. When you truly grasp how much grace you’ve received, you can’t help but extend grace to others.
Think about the people who test your patience:
- The coworker who’s always late
- The family member who never listens
- The friend who keeps making the same mistakes
- Yourself, for falling into the same sin again
Now ask: How has God treated me when I’ve been that person?
The answer is always the same: with patience. With grace. With love that refuses to give up.
Receiving Before Extending
You can’t give what you haven’t received. If you’re struggling to be patient with others, it might be because you haven’t fully received God’s patience toward you.
Maybe you’re still trying to earn His approval. Maybe you’re still beating yourself up over past mistakes. Maybe you think God is disappointed in you, waiting for you to get it together.
He’s not.
He’s patient. He’s kind. He’s for you. And He’s not going anywhere.
When you let that truth sink deep into your soul, something shifts. You stop needing to control others. You stop demanding that they measure up. You stop keeping score. Because you know—deep in your bones—that God hasn’t kept score with you.
A Prayer for Receiving God’s Patience
Father, thank You for Your incredible patience with me. Forgive me for the times I’ve taken it for granted. Help me truly understand how much grace You’ve shown me—how many times You’ve been slow to anger, quick to forgive, and faithful even when I’ve been faithless. Let that truth soften my heart. Let it change how I treat my spouse, my kids, my coworkers, my friends. When I want to snap, remind me how You’ve never snapped at me. When I want to give up on someone, remind me that You’ve never given up on me. Grow Your patience in me, starting with receiving it myself. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Tomorrow: We’ll explore patience in waiting on God’s timing—how to trust Him when the answer doesn’t come on your schedule.
Reflection question: Who in your life needs you to extend the same patience God has shown you? What would that look like this week?