God wants the best for your life. He wants spiritual success for our lives and the lives of those whom we touch. This is evidenced in Jeremiah 29.11- “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”
Following the promptings of the Holy Spirit is essential to your spiritual success as a believer. God wants to transform you through your growing Spirit-filled life. Each statement from the Holy Spirit has in it the potential of radically changing the individual. For instance, a Bible passage that centers on God’s character can provide us a balance sheet where we come short in our own character. The Spirit of Truth then reveals how God would have us apply it or in what way it works within us (our character). One such truth is: God is Patient. To bring this to a practical application we will use a simple formula: “He is patient, because He is Love, therefore He convicts… the rest is up to us.”
Have you ever ignored the press of conviction upon your heart? Of course you have. It is human to be prideful and self-sufficient. It is of the new birth to be surrendered and obedient. When you sin, do you rationalize your wrong with the thought “if God really is upset, He’d stop me?” I have heard that time and time again by people trying to “find God’s will for their life.” God reminds us in Psalm 50:21 that the silence of heaven does not mean approval: “These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.” It is of our old character to propose, even to ourselves, that we know how God thinks. The only way is to find it in the revealed scripture. In Romans 2:1-11 we find the formula played out for us. In verses 4-5 we find the detailed rendering of our topic today. When God seems slow to react, we might hope He’s overlooking our transgressions— after all, He is love, right?! We’d like to continue as we always have and be as we always are. I know you may not like this next line, but- Change is the one constant of life! Yes, it is God’s will for you to change. When we stop growing and changing to be more like Christ then we are in serious trouble. In fact it is sin. He is working on us to change us and we chose to stay in a sinful thought or act, even attitude. This is grieving to Him. It inflicts personal damage to our fellowship with Him. Why do we do this? 1. Habit often is the culprit and why God brings change. This disarms our complacent tendencies. 2. The momentary pleasure is more appealing than obedience.
He Is Patient. Thankfully, the Father knows our weaknesses, our innate carnality, and where we are spiritually. What if God acted with me at the same speed and ferociousness I want to act toward others?
He is Patient because He Is Love. HIS motivation is love. He has a desire to gently restore His children to righteousness. God refrains from doling out immediate punishment; because HE would rather we learn and willfully return to HIM.
He is Patient because He is Love, therefore He convicts. HE does take immediate action, but by way of the Holy Spirit’s promptings. He wants to impact the believer’s heart. If He has your heart He has you. The weight of conviction is actually an invitation to turn back to the one who loves you.
He convicts, but the rest is up to us. We’re a stubborn people. There are times when we continue in our sin because the sentence hasn’t come yet. Notice the wisdom of truth in Ecclesiastes 8:11 about this— “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.”
Because HE is patient, it seems to take time… when this happens humans have a tendency to immerse themselves in their activity and harden their hearts against the Lord. At that point the Holy Spirit’s voice falls on ears rapidly going deaf to spiritual tones. The Lord is not slow; He’s patient.
Question: How long have you been the way you are since coming to salvation? Taking too long to humbly admit to God will result in callousness. Do not abuse His patience with callous disregard for His voice. We must return to God (repent) quickly while He is speaking and your spiritual ears can still hear. As Jesus said in Matthew 11.15- “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.”