How You Can Patiently and Cheerfully Endure Tough Times

When life gets tough, how do you react? Do you throw your hands up in the air in resignation? Or doyou patiently endure your difficult circumstances?

Tough times are unavoidable and inevitable; but you don't have to let them make you miserable!How can you defeat harsh days? With longsuffering.

What is longsuffering? Longsuffering is the ability to patiently and cheerfully endure an unbearablesituation. Longsuffering is a quality of Jehovah God Almighty: "The Lord is not slack concerning hispromise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any shouldperish, but that all should come to repentance." (II Peter 3:9, ASV)

Like our Creator, we are told to be "longsuffering, forbearing one another in love." (Ephesians 4:2,KJV) But how do we put on longsuffering and have it on for good?

Here, I'll have a few folks share with us ways we can be more longsuffering.

Rabbi Michael Shevack says, "Longsuffering does indeed require long-suffering!" How true! But ifyou feel that suffering is a bad thing, think again. Suffering is actually a blessing in disguise; inmany ways, it's an exercise machine to strengthen our spirits. Rabbi Mike provides us some valuabletips to be more longsuffering:

1. When you are being tested for your patience, it is always helpful to quiet your mind, and removeyourself from thinking about your irritation. Then, call on God, "Thank you for showing me patiencein this situation." Right afterwards, just do what is natural,and allow the prayer to "take hold" onyou. You will notice, very quickly, that the patience is provided. As an attribute of God,it isaccessible to those "in Whose image" we are made.

2. Imagine yourself as a child; then imagine your parents struggling feeding you, diapering you,scolding you, when you make mistakes,and loving you, all the way. When longsuffering is needed,become a parent to the situation, rather than a stumbling child. Take on the role of a helper, ofshepherding the situation, rather than being lost as an adversary. As your Father in Heavenparents,so you parent.

Cynthia Burnham, executive leadership coach, says, "Sometimes I become distracted or frustratedwhen talking with others. When this happens, I direct my attention to the person in front of me, andthink 'I send you blessings.' My focus moves away from myself and back to the other person. I stay incuriosity, and my patience returns."

Author Susan Tordella, parenting coach and workshop conductor, says, "To become longsuffering,we must feel the consequences of our actions. Parents today protect children from pain. I never meta mistake I didn't grow from. When children experience the results of their decisions, they developcharacter and good decision making. They become long suffering and resilient." And these are thetips she gives to help us be more longsuffering:

1. Be with the pain, whatever it is. Don't fight it or run from it. Allow the pain to be your teacher.Ask the pain what it has to teach you.

2. Practice patience. Learn to wait for other people to find their own answers, especially children.Learn to wait for what you want. Ask questions to point people towards their truth and watch themlike we watch new grass grow in spring.

Here is what Greg Mattke has to say: "I broke my legs in a car wreck and need surgery to this dayon my knees but you would never know it if I didn't tell you. My tip on longsuffering is to keep an eyeon what you have or what you can do, not the other way around. If you have a small home and wishyou had a larger one, look at a homeless person and be thankful. If you have a chronic pain or injury,look at a person who cant' walk. Life is what we make of it. We can adapt and overcome or we cangive in."

C. Anthony Harris shares some great tips on how we can be more longsuffering:

1. Become more disciplined in studying the word of God so that you understand what longsufferingand patience actually involves.

2. Get excited about it because their is a purpose greater than you. Your trials often becometriumphs for others.

Kathy Collard Miller, author and speaker, says, "When someone does something that makes meirritated, I remember that I've most likely done the same kind of irritating thing to someone else.God's grace displays His patience toward me and I don't deserve that. Though someone else doesn'tdeserve grace and understanding, I can give it because God has given it to me."

A few words of wisdom from Dr. Bill Graybill, pastor and Christian life coach:

1. Longsuffering is a choice to be made. You have a split second to make that choice when temptedto blow up. Learn to see that choice, make it and you will see a transformation over time.

2. Longsuffering is a habit to be formed. By practicing longsuffering during challenging events youwill create a new habit and with that new habit in place longsuffering will become a naturalresponse to life.

3. Believe that you can be longsuffering. You are made in the image of God and he is longsuffering.By believing that you can become longsuffering by becoming more like Christ you will short-circuitfailure.

Golden nuggets from Beverly "Bev" Floyd, corporate trainer and performance consultant:

1. Read the Book of James (it's five easy chapters) and pray on all God's promises to grant wisdom,peace, patient endurance, faith, healing and protection.

2. Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path,and you will find rest for your soul. (Jer 6:16)

3. Find the "bless in the mess" - remember God's plans for you are good (Jer 29:11-14). Considerwhat good can result of the trial and focus on that as your "outcome goal."

4. Be solutions-focused; what must happen within the next 1-3 days to let you know you are taking astep in the right direction? Then just do it! Take that step (faith without works is dead - James 2:14).

5. Serve others - not only will you take the stress off yourself, but often your answer will come whileyou are encouraging someone else.

6. Ask for advice/help. There's nothing new under the sun (Ecc 1:9-11; 3:15) - that means someoneelse has been there, done that and is probably wearing the T-Shirt! Go find that person, read thatbook, listen to that sermon and embrace their lessons learned.

7. Be a gracious receiver. Is God bringing someone into the picture to bless you? Remove thebarriers (like pride, embarrassment, fear) that are preventing you from receiving graciously. Justthank them, praise God and receive it!

Last but not least, Mark Roth, writer and book seller, lets us in on the secret to being morelongsuffering. The above tips are all strategies--here comes the secret: "To be more longsuffering, Imust allow the Holy Spirit to produce this fruit in my life.

1. Purposefully and consciously yield to the work of God's Spirit, living in obedience to His expressedwill as found in the teachings of the Scriptures.

2. Purify myself as I need it, usually daily, with the washing of water by the Word. Love with a pureheart. Abandon my natural sensual lifestyle.

3. Ask God for it. Then accept and flourish in the tests of faith that He will send."

Indeed, allowing Jehovah to develop the Christ-like character of longsuffering in you is the ultimatesecret and key! Remember, "longsuffering" is one quality of the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and this fruitcan be developed fully only by God. We can try as hard we can and get some results by our self-efforts, but will longsuffering last "long," and last under even the toughest circumstances?

Jesus said, "Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch can't bear fruit by itself, unless it remains inthe vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me. I am the vine. You are the branches. He whoremains in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." (John15:4-5, WEB)

Jesus, who is the exact image of God (Colossians 1:15), will develop the fruit of longsuffering in us aslong as we remain in him. If you wish to have the ability to patiently endure your difficultcircumstances, then embrace God and He'll bless you with the longsuffering you need to conquer alldarkness!

Author's Bio:

Shirley Cheng (b. 1983), a blind and physically disabled award-winning author (with 23 book awards,including nine Parent to Parent Adding Wisdom Awards), motivational speaker, self-empowermentexpert, poet, author of nine books (including "Do You Love Jehovah? God Almighty's Infinite Love &Wisdom to Propel You to Greatness"), contributor to 22, and a parental rights advocate, has hadsevere juvenile rheumatoid arthritis since infancy. Owing to years of hospitalization, she received noeducation until age eleven. Back then, she knew only her ABCs and very simple English; other thanthat, her book knowledge was non-existent. However, after only about 180 days of special educationin elementary school, she mastered grade level in all areas and entered a regular sixth grade class inmiddle school. Unfortunately, Shirley lost her eyesight at the age of seventeen. After a successfuleye surgery, she hopes to earn multiple science doctorates from Harvard University. Visithttp://www.shirleycheng.com for more inspiration.

Do you have questions about the Bible? Something you don't understand? Do you need a bit ofguidance in developing a relationship with Jehovah? Then Shirley would like to help you! Pleasecontact her via her site at http://www.shirleycheng.com and she would be more than glad to do herbest to answer your questions! Never hesitate to ask questions, for no question about the Bible isever too small or stupid.

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