Colossians 1:10 “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;”
Paul prays for the main ingredients of a faithful life in the service of our “God” and then tells us that the object of such a faithful life is that we would attain “unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness”. To have this “patience” is to calmly stand steadfast in faithfulness to our Lord, even in the face of the most severe tribulations, temptations, afflictions of the body and mind, and discouragements. To be “longsuffering” is to peacefully endure things that offend us, that breaks our heart, that impugns us, and especially the mockery and hinderances that are cast upon us from those who have no faith. Because we still have a human nature, we sometimes must exercise loving “patience” and be “longsuffering” with our own Brethren. When Peter asked the Lord how many times he was expected to forgive his Brother, the Lord answered “I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18:22); it is much easier to forgive in this way, when we stop and consider how many times our Lord forgives us, oftentimes when we don’t even have the sense to ask for it. The blessed benefit of such “patience” and “longsuffering” is “joyfulness” in the service of our Lord and among our Church Family and friends. The best place on this earth to be, is among our beloved Brethren when “the disciples” are “filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost” (Acts 13:52). As the Psalmist prayed, “let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee” (Psalms 5:11)!