The love of God and the patience of Christ. What a wonderful combination that is. Paul’s prayer is that the hearts of believers would be directed to love and patience.
Patience is a wonderful trait. I’m sure that if I could develop patience I would be a much better believer and preacher.
I had never noticed before the connection between love and patience, but it only makes sense. It makes it a lot easier to be patient when we know how to love.
If I love God and trust Him I can be patient even during great times of waiting like we are in waiting for a chance to meet together as a church. I can be patient in praying for friends and loved one and for Him to take care of our day by day needs. I can patently wait in His because He is God and I love and trust Him.
If I love others I can learn to be patient with them. Love overcomes a lot of frustration. Love means that those I am being patient with are more important than me.
But I guess the greatest thing is that I need to be patient with those who need to be saved. It can be hard to wait for weeks or months or years or decades and to be loving and witnessing and praying for lost friends and loved one. We can even be tempted to just give up because there is no use.
That’s not God’s way though. We stay faithful and consistent and loving and patiently wait for them to turn to Christ. My pastor waited decades to see his parents saved, but they were saved. A friend waited decades to see her husband saved, but he was.
Love and be patient and let God work.
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