We have been in a series talking about the attributes of God. We have already talked about 11 of them, and here we are going to finish this series by talking about one more, including a summary of the series. So, we finish this series by talking about the attribute of patience.

How good it is that God is very patient with everyone and with His people. We have already talked about how God is eternal, and therefore He is outside of time. For God, 100 or 1,000 years is the same and like nothing. Therefore, he is patient and never hasty or in a hurry.

Sometimes in our modern world, we are not so patient and want to have everything right away. We have fast food and fast communication. So, if we need to wait a little bit, we are not so happy. God, on the other hand, is very patient and works His will behind the scenes.

Look at an interesting verse in 2 Peter 3:9. In this passage, Peter was talking about Jesus’ return to the world because some people thought it would not happen or because it had been delayed for so long. He says, “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.” (NIV)

How beautiful! God is patient because He wants to save everyone. So, he is always working with this motive, and He is working and laboring with great patience.

Some look at God’s judgments in the Bible and think that they were unfair or too quick. But God is very slow to judge and punish because of His patience. An example is that the Israelites lived more than 600 years in the Promised Land before their exile to Babylon, which was indeed a judgment from God, and they were very sinful and rebellious almost the entire time. God is patient with us. Look at another verse, 1 Corinthians 13:4, “Love is patient.” (NIV)

We already talked in another teaching that God is love, and it is his most important attribute. That is why God is patient. Sometimes we have lived with problems for years, thinking that perhaps they will never end, and we have lost patience. But God has not. He loves you and is working patiently for your well-being. On the other hand, although God is patient, there always comes a time when He supplies or touches in a powerful and supernatural way, and then we have the answer and don’t have to wait any longer. The answer comes. But while we wait, it is up to us to be as patient as the Lord.

Well, as we conclude this series, we have already talked about 12 different attributes. There are other attributes of His as well. It is worth looking for them in your studies. One interesting thing about these attributes is that some of them are also mentioned as the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Look at this list in Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control.” (NIV)

Four of these—love, patience, kindness, and faithfulness—are attributes of God. This fruit is what God is like, and it is the fruit that the Holy Spirit wants to produce in our lives. When these fruits grow in us, we become more like God and can reflect His image to the world. And it’s worth reading the 10 messages we’ve already done on the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

Well, once again, the 12 attributes of God that we’ve mentioned in this series are: God is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, eternal, unchanging, holy, good, loving, merciful, true, faithful, and patient.

What wonderful attributes our God has. Thinking about these attributes, we realize that with God, nothing is impossible in our lives, families, and situations. God is more than enough. He loves you very much, and He is here today to help you and minister to your needs. It is time to seek Him like never before because He is your answer and what you need.