Love is Patient.

Love is Patient.

I write that sentence and then just sit here, staring in awe of it. I’ve been pondering, praying, considering, and diligently digging into this phrase for almost two months now. A month ago, I was convicted to dig through all of 1 Corinthians. (There is so much goodness there beyond the “love chapter”, FYI). And once again, I came upon this sentence.

Where to even begin with that?

GOD is LOVE. First and foremost. There would be no love, without God’s love. We can only love Him, and each other, because He first loved us (1 John 4:7-10). But not only does God=Love, but the word for love used here is AGAPE. Agape is selfless, unending, sacrificial and unconditional.

IS. Present tense. It is currently happening. Right now. And it is continual.

Patient. There are several definitions for patient:

· Bearing pains or trials, calmly and without complaint

· Steadfast despite opposition, difficulty or adversity

· Able or willing to bear

But for fun, I also LOVE the word used in some translations instead of “patient”—longsuffering.

Love is patient. Love is longsuffering. Love endures.

This is an action that God is currently teaching me and has been for a while. I have been learning to be patient with people for most of my life. Like most things, some days you are good at it… some days you probably should have just stayed in bed.

But LOVE is patient. GOD is patient.

I sat around at a bible study last night and listened to girls share their stories of how God has worked in and through their relationships to bring them closer to Himself. There is no denying that God uses relationships to do that. Most of the time this results from us holding on so tightly to what we want, because we are scared of what might not come along, what might not happen, or what might happen. We cling to those idols and selfishly say like a two-year-old, “but what about what I want?!”

I began to think though: I don’t have stories like that. At first it was a pride issue: “I’ve only dated two people. Two. These girls are talking about engagements, and things they RECENTLY have come through. My last relationship was almost 4 years ago. How embarrassing.”

God, in all His awesomeness however saw it differently… saw me differently.
“If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.” 2 Tim 2:21 

He kept me from having relationships like that. He's kept me for Himself, until the day He allows me to also serve a husband. He's protected me.

The two relationships that I did have were not perfect… at all. I mean, I was young and had no idea what a true, Godly relationship was supposed to look like. Yet, I haven’t had a relationship since I broke off my last one, almost 4 years ago. And I’m ok with that. I know that when God does bring a relationship into my life, it will be of Him, and we will have both sought after God and His wisdom and guidance. He is after all, Jehovah-Jireh.

Cue patience. (And maybe/maybe not an eye roll)

I want what I want, right now. That is the world we live in. I see something… I can have it. Right?

We have cell phones that can access pretty much anything in the blink of an eye. Constantly getting faster and faster. People have sex on the first date. They get married after a month (sometimes not even) of knowing each other. It only takes 90 days to file and become divorced in the State of Tennessee (shorter than most people take to plan the wedding). Not to mention—drive thru anything!

Love is patient.

Here’s the truth of the matter when I really pray, and really seek God: I don’t want a movie type romance or love story.

I know God is love. I know His ways are infinitely better and wiser than mine will ever be. (Remember all the good stuff I said was in 1 Corinthians? Check out 1 Corinthians 1:25). So I want what He wants. (And when I say know… I mean feel it with a burning passion deep in my heart. This isn’t just a head knowledge issue).

I want the slow, methodical, only-way-it-could-happen God written love story, which can only possibly be for me. If that means being patient, then I will be patient. I’m not very good at it…but the cool thing about God being Love, is that He is patient. With me and for me.

On my weak days, I am so thankful He has provided me with a mother, who will pray for me over the phone, best friends who pick me up and wipe away my tears more times than they should have to, and opportunities He keeps revealing to me to grow deep down in His love and wisdom, along with areas in which I can serve those He loves and who love Him.

Until then, I will keep running whatever races He puts before me, serving Him (watering the camels), loving Him passionately and anything else He asks me to do. He’ll take care of the rest. He loved me enough to save me through His only Son after everything I’ve ever done and will do… why would I ever doubt He wouldn’t come through in every other aspect of my life?

 “I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources, He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you learn to trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish exceedingly abundantly more than we might ask or think.” Eph 3:16-20