What Does long-suffering Mean
The Latin word longanimĭtas arrived in Castilian as longanimity . The term is used to refer to toughness of mind in dealing with problems.
Long-suffering, therefore, is associated with perseverance . Another use of the concept is linked to generosity and kindness .
The notion is often used in the field of Catholicism with reference to the quality that leads a person to maintain their fidelity to God and his precepts in the long term. In this framework, long-suffering is considered to be a gift given by the Holy Spirit .
Thanks to long-suffering, the believer accepts the times that God foresees for the fulfillment of the proposed goals. In this way, the individual knows that, beyond difficulties and even his own mistakes, he will be able to fulfill his spiritual goals if he maintains his effort and commitment .
Christian doctrine holds that he who works for the fulfillment of the divine will never does so in vain. Long-suffering is the property that makes it possible to keep hope and continue with the daily struggle.
Who does not have faith in God , lacks long-suffering and embraces pessimism. On the other hand, affirms Christianity, the long-suffering has full confidence in God and in divine help, which is why he sticks to tolerance .
Beyond the religious, long-suffering reveals strength to reverse a bad situation . From long-suffering, the human being does not give up and remains in good spirits even in adversity .
Although at first glance it may seem like a simple synonym for perseverance , there are several aspects that indissolubly accompany long-suffering and that can help us understand its importance as a concept. Before continuing, it is necessary to understand that the decision to continue trying to achieve our objectives should not occur "just because", automatically or without feelings, but as a result of hope, of faith placed in ourselves or in God, depending on each person's beliefs.
Going forward beyond obstacles reveals precisely one of the virtues mentioned in the definition provided by the Royal Spanish Academy: "greatness." This term, for its part, can be defined in various ways; among its meanings we have the following: "excessive size of one thing with respect to another of the same type", " power and majesty", "moral excellence, spiritual elevation". Although we know that the latter is the most appropriate to understand the relationship between greatness and long-suffering, the other two can help us delve a little deeper.
Let's start by comparing the size of one thing with that of another of the same kind: when we are faced with a situation that is very difficult to overcome, our fears can be represented in many ways, the same as our perseverance; If we think that both are two sides of the same coin (which would be us), then long-suffering could be the ability or willingness to magnify the side that leads us to keep trying, so that it exceeds the other in size, the one that discourages and pretends that we lower our arms.
Power and majesty are also related to this analogy, since through long-suffering we access control of our own existence above any problem. Another concept that appears linked is perseverance , which is essential to reverse the lack of balance previously exposed between the two faces of a negative situation: only if we focus all our efforts towards our final goal and advance without rest can we succeed.