Patience

Patience helps us learn to see irritations and trials from God’s point of view. It accepts a difficult situation without demanding that it be resolved according to a certain timetable. According to Romans 5:3–5, the situations that normally prompt anger are designed to develop our patience. “We glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

Long-Suffering

Patience puts up with inadequacies in others, but long-suffering responds to the willful or repeated hurts that we experience. A long-suffering person can endure a prolonged difficult situation without becoming irritated or angry.

Mercy

Anger is a means of punishing those who have wronged us, but mercy withholds the punishment that an offender deserves. We should be motivated to be merciful to others when we consider the awful punishment we would face if God gave us what we deserved.

Kindness

Kindness is doing good things for others whether they deserve it or not. It is consistently treating every person with equal cheerfulness and helpfulness, just as God sends rain and sunshine to the just and the unjust. (See Matthew 5:45.) Kindness responds to offenses by discerning an offender’s needs and making an effort to meet them.

Gentleness

Anger is harsh, insensitive, and damaging. Gentleness is gracious and understanding—even under pressure. Gentleness looks beyond the present circumstances and focuses on the feelings of others.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is sincerely responding to an offender with mercy. When you remember how much God has forgiven you, you’re able to forgive others.