August 18

Love Is Patient

Love endures long and is patient…

1 CORINTHIANS 13:4

The world today is filled with impatient people. It seems that everyone is in a hurry. Stress levels are very high, and the pressure we live under often provokes impatience. Christians deal with the same pressures as everyone else, and we are often just as impatient as the world, but we shouldn’t be.

The Bible teaches us that love is patient. The more we learn to receive God’s love, love Him in return, and love those around us, the more patient we become. This patience helps us live in peace. We are not always in a hurry. We take the time to wait on God and to fellowship with Him. Out of His love, God is patient with us and we can be the same way with other people.

When your life is marked by love, not only will you be patient with other people, you will be patient with yourself. When you make mistakes, instead of being angry with yourself over them, you’ll repent and stay in peace. You’ll understand that God is working to correct those things in your life, and you’ll patiently trust Him to do His work.

Patience is a wonderful virtue that can be developed in your life, but the key is to draw closer to God through trusting Him each and every day. The closer you get to the Lord, the easier it will be to let go of the frustrations of the world. You’ll find a new sense of calm and peaceful assurance because God is the center of your life.

When you learn to respond patiently in all kinds of trials, you will find yourself living a quality of life that is not just endured but enjoyed to the full.