God's general pattern is to allow people time to repent rather than instantly executing judgment. He is merciful and longsuffering, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. He has given the nations of Israel time to repent, yet this generosity can dull the sense of urgency, leading to complacency as the carnal mind interprets more time as license to continue in sin. Even within the church, God allows time for repentance but sets limits, intervening to prevent hearts from becoming fully set in the wrong way. His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering are designed to lead us to repentance, as He desires children in His image and works with us to accomplish His purpose. This kindness, or benevolence, supplies what is suitable to our spiritual needs, whether through gentle nudges or trying circumstances, to encourage us to consider our ways and make necessary adjustments. In His goodness, He leads us to repentance for a more spiritually abundant life.

God, in His goodness, grants His people time to repent, yet He remains active during this period, working tirelessly to shape His spiritual creation. He orchestrates circumstances, from personal convictions to widespread disasters, to guide us back to the right path. As seen with the ancient Israelites, God provided them time to repent while sending prophets to remind them of His unchanging will, ensuring they were without excuse. Despite this, they often ignored or persecuted these messengers, mistaking God's patience for permission to persist in wrongdoing. God extends this time for repentance to us as well, delivering messages through various means, sometimes humbling or unexpected, to lead us back to Him. His kindness in guiding us to repentance may surprise or even offend, but it yields good fruit if we humble ourselves and follow through. These reminders can be gentle or undeniable, depending on the spiritual danger we face. At times, God steps back, waiting to see if we will return to Him on our own, as with King David, whose delay in repentance led to profound and painful lessons that etched God's law on his heart. The time God grants for repentance is a double-edged sword. It offers the opportunity to make right choices and reconcile with Him, but it can also be misunderstood as a sign that our actions are not serious, leading us to ignore His promptings. The longer we delay necessary changes, the easier it becomes to turn away from God entirely. Though He is faithful to His covenant and works tirelessly on our behalf, He will not force us to adopt His image if we choose the world's instead. There is a time when the Lord may be sought and found, but this window does not remain open forever. Eventually, God responds to our choices, whether for good or evil, underscoring the urgency to redeem the time that remains and turn back to Him.

In Jesus Christ's letter to the congregation in Thyatira, a small statement reveals a vital aspect of God's nature: He gave time for repentance, though it was not taken. Despite having no obligation to grant a sinner even a moment more, God's general approach is to allow people time to turn from their ways. Throughout Scripture, this pattern emerges, though exceptions exist where His response to sin is swift. This allowance of time often leads to frustration for the faithful, as seen with Asaph in Psalm 73, who nearly faltered observing the ungodly at ease, not realizing God was giving them time to change. Similarly, Noah endured 120 years of preaching, surrounded by wickedness, while God granted that generation time to repent, testing Noah's faith through perseverance. Today, as morality crumbles, the faithful face similar trials, urged to maintain faith while God provides time for repentance. Paul, speaking to the men of Athens nearly 2,000 years ago, declared that God now commands all to repent, pointing to Christ's resurrection as a sign of coming judgment. For the past 2,000 years, God has required repentance, deeming that even those without His full revelation have enough knowledge to be accountable. Yet, as Solomon observed, delayed judgment often hardens hearts to evil, showing that more time does not always yield change. In contrast, the Ninevites repented swiftly within forty days under Jonah's warning, their short timeframe focusing their resolve. Conversely, the prolonged time given to Noah's generation allowed them to dismiss his message, their hearts growing set in defiance as no immediate consequence arose. God grants abundant time for repentance, though it is often wasted by those who refuse to heed.