Thanksgiving 2021, is it possible it’s here already? Yes, a day of family, football and lots of food!  And as believers, I’m sure most of us take a few minutes to pause and reflect on God’s goodness in our lives over the past year.  As you think of His blessings in your life today, what attributes or character traits of our God come to mind?

No doubt many Christians will rightly praise Him for His plan of redemption and salvation, His mercy, love and grace.  Many will thank Him for safety, health and financial blessings.  Yet in our reading today we come across another of His attributes. 2 Peter 3:9 reads, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

Long-suffering, quite literally means to suffer or put up with something for a long time.  Yes, God certainly has put up with a lot of garbage from us for a long time, hasn’t he?  For many of us, we were familiar with the gospel for many years before we accepted Christ, a period of time in which God truly was long-suffering with us.  And even if you were saved shortly after hearing the gospel, how much has he put up with in your life since salvation?  Times of spiritual indifference, backsliding and even rebellion often frequent the lives of believers.  Yet he is long-suffering and continues to extend mercy and grace towards us.  Certainly there is a time when He draws a line and says “no more!” but before we reach that point He often extends mercy, patience and long-suffering towards us, far more than we deserve.  So while we thank God today for some of His blessings, may we particularly thank Him for being long-suffering towards us!