Bearing with One Another

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called. —Ephesians 4:1

Forbearance is an old-fashioned word and, in many ways, an out-of-date idea. It’s sticking with someone in their struggle and holding back our anger, annoyance, or hurt.

We’re not a forbearing culture. We expect people to get their act together. If they can’t, we feel justified in losing faith in them. God’s Word calls us to a different way.

Ephesians 4:1 tells us that while we can’t live in a way that earns our status as ambassadors for Jesus, we can, by the power of the Holy Spirit, live worthy of such an honorable calling. Then in verse 2, Paul gives us a practical way to live this out, as we “[bear] with one another in love.”

In our sin, Christ bears with us. He refuses to throw in the towel whether we miss the mark once or a million times. How can we live lives worthy of His divine patience? By bearing with one another. That’s worth bringing back in style.