Bear with One Another
Colossians 3:13 — “Bear with each other and forgive one another... Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
What a deep verse. In a world where impatience seems to be the default setting, the call to “bear with one another” might sound countercultural—maybe even impossible. Yet, that’s exactly what God asks of us.
If we look just one verse earlier, Paul reminds us to clothe ourselves with tender-hearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Then in verse 14, he completes the thought: “Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”
This is such a beautiful picture. Love is the thread that ties all these virtues together. As children of the Most High God, we’ve been given a clear dress code for the soul—virtues that mark us as members of His family. There’s no guessing, no confusion. Every day, we’re invited to “put on” these qualities, like slipping into freshly washed clothes.
To “bear with one another” doesn’t mean to simply tolerate others. It means to extend grace, to walk in patience, to choose compassion even when it feels undeserved. In a culture where quick judgments and sharp words are common, this kind of bearing-with becomes a radical act of love.
Then Paul takes it even deeper: “Forgive one another… Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
Peter once asked Jesus if forgiving someone seven times was generous enough. Jesus replied, “Not seven times, but seventy times seven.” In other words—keep forgiving. Forgiveness isn’t a limited resource; it’s an ongoing posture of the heart.
When I think of all the forgiveness I’ve received—from God, from family, from friends—it humbles me. Some of that forgiveness I knew about. But much of it, I’m sure, happened quietly, without my even realizing I had hurt someone. Grace often operates that way—quietly, consistently, freely.
I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t always succeed in living out this verse. I want to love well, to forgive quickly, and to bear patiently—but I often fall short. Yet each failure is also an invitation: an opportunity to grow in grace, to try again, to “put on” those spiritual clothes once more.
As we walk through this week, let’s remember that every act of patience, every word of kindness, every choice to forgive reflects the One who first forgave us.
Reflective Questions:
- Who in your life might you need to “bear with” a little more patiently this week?
- What would it look like for you to forgive “as the Lord forgave you”?