Patience is listed as part of the fruit of the Spirit, and it is listed as a characteristic of love in 1 Corinthians 13. It is God’s attitude towards us, and it should be our attitude towards everybody around us.
But what is patience, really?
By far the best description I’ve heard of patience is this: patience is a loving response to a situation in which time and pain are simultaneously present.
It is so easy to let pride creep in and say, “You’re a good person, you don’t deserve this. You’ve taken this long enough, it’s time for them to get what they deserve.” But this is when perspective is absolutely vital. This is when it’s important to counter these lies with the truth. A truly patient person will say, “Yes, this person or situation is draining me and putting me through fire; but God is patient with me every single day, so with His help, I can show some of that patience in this uncomfortable situation. God has been faithful in the past, and I know He has a good plan. He won’t let let me down.”
In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul said, “Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” Paul had to be patient for a little while, and he could do so because of God’s grace. He could endure because He trusted God’s timing, and because he knew something good would come so long as he stayed patient.
Simply put, patience is an attitude of the heart that trusts God’s perfect plan and is willing to wait for it to come to fruition. It is not easy, but it is what I am called to have. If He has as much patience with me as he does on a daily basis, then I know He can give me what I need to be patient with other people.
Proclaiming His Goodness 