Patience

Day 13 — Longsuffering (Patience)

Scripture:
“Love is patient…” 1 Corinthians 13:4 (ESV)

The transformation project that the Holy Spirit begins in our lives is rarely an overnight fix. It is a lifelong journey. We live in a world that wants instant results and immediate gratification, but anything of real substance takes time. Growth takes time. Maturity takes time. Becoming more like Jesus takes time.

That’s why patience, longsuffering, is such an essential fruit of the Spirit.

The patience Paul refers to in 1 Corinthians 13:4 is not patience with circumstances as much as it is patience with people. And if we’re honest, patience with people is often harder than patience with situations. Circumstances eventually change. People… not always as quickly.

All of us have “those” people in our lives, the ones who test our patience. It could be a friend, a crying baby, a boss, a neighbor, or someone who constantly gets under our skin. You fill in the blank. And yet Paul, just like Jesus, roots everything in love. When we learn to love like Jesus, the natural overflow of that love is the production of spiritual fruit, and one of the first fruits that shows up is patience.

In what we often call “the love chapter” of Scripture, a passage frequently read at weddings, Paul begins not with romance or emotion, but with this simple phrase: “Love is patient.” And Paul isn’t writing specifically about marriage here. He’s writing about relationships in general, relationships within the body of Christ and in everyday life.

A lack of patience is often a sign of a lack of love. And the patience God has shown to us—imperfect, unfinished people, is the same patience He calls us to show to others. God has been incredibly patient with us, and He continues to be. That same longsuffering patience is what we are invited to reflect as followers of Jesus.

Patience doesn’t mean ignoring sin or lowering standards. It means choosing grace over irritation. It means walking with people instead of giving up on them. It means trusting God’s timing in the process of growth, both in others and in ourselves.
Patience is not weakness. It is love that endures. And it is part of the journey of walking closely with Jesus and becoming more like Him.

Reflection
Take a moment and sit with these questions:

1. Who is one person that tends to test your patience most right now?
2. What usually gets triggered in you in those moments, pride, control, frustration, impatience, insecurity?
3. How has God been patient with you recently (even in ways you didn’t deserve)?
4. What would it look like this week to show one tangible act of PATIENT love toward that person?
5. Is there an area in your own growth where you need to trust God’s timing instead of rushing the process?

Prayer
Jesus, thank You for the patience You have shown me. Help me to love others the way You have loved me, with grace, endurance, and compassion. Grow in me a patience that reflects Your heart. Amen.