What Does ‘Love is Patient’ Mean?
9/8 Reading Portions: 2 Samuel 2; 1 Corinthians 13; Ezekiel 11; Psalm 50
Online Bible Audio/Readings Links (ESV)
9/8 Reading Portions: 2 Samuel 2; 1 Corinthians 13; Ezekiel 11; Psalm 50
1 Corinthians 13:4
Love is patient...
PATIENCE
God is the epitome of patience because God is love (1 Jn 4:8). His patience is perfect and unruffled because He is omniscient, knowing all things. Since God is Self-existent and Self-sufficient, He has no need; and certainly, He has no need to learn. As eternal, infinite, and transcendent God, He cannot grow more patient or increase in patience. We, His children on the other hand, must grow in patience. Although we possess all love as sinners saved by grace, having the indwelling Holy Spirit in us (John 14:16-17), and the abiding presence of the Lord Jesus Christ with us (Heb 13:5), we are not yet perfect or glorified (1 Jn 3:2). Therefore, we must grow in love; and one of the ways we must grow in love, is by growing in patience. When we experience various trials and tribulations, we should consider it a joyful opportunity because, as James tells us,
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. James 1:3, KJV
Patience, or forbearance, is a banner waving high above us as we believe in Christ, indicating that we trust in a sovereign God through our situations and circumstances. When we patiently endure as God works all things together for good to them who love Christ Jesus (Rom 8:28), we should see that the heavenly Father is doing so in order to conform us to the image of His beloved Son, our Lord Jesus (Rom 8:29). We are not spiritual masochists when suffering the slings and arrows of this outrageous, ungodly world. No. Rather we glory in our tribulations and indignities, rejoicing in the testimony of Christ our lives have become through them— that Jesus increases while we decrease (John 3:30). If I may say it in this way: patience is our marching in spiritual step with the eternal beat of God’s sovereign drum— never ahead of God’s will, nor lagging behind His divine plan.
O, Lord Jesus give me patience
So, You are glorified:
And in trials I’ll know Your presence,
Proclaiming why You died.