Here is a sample from the book I’m working on,
“Love Is Not: Tips to Improve Your Relationships.”
I hope you love it!
Love is patient.
1 CORINTHIANS 13:4
Love does not get upset over minor issues. It chooses which problems to address, tolerate, and drop. Feeling impatient on occasion does not mean we don’t love someone. However, with God’s help, we can cultivate more patience and love over time.
A friend repeatedly reminded her spouse that he needed to repair the fence. Over time, she grew frustrated and irritated that the fence remained unfixed. I suggested she practice patience, stop mentioning the fence, and wait to see what happened. One day, God sent a strong wind and knocked the fence over. Guess what her spouse did? He went out and repaired the fence.
Impatience causes frustration and irritability, which leads us to nag or get upset with people. I complained about how long it took for my hair to grow out and about how a project was more complicated than expected. Impatience kept me from enjoying the day. Impatience led to complaints and grumbling, creating an anxious heart. Those things didn’t make me a loving person.
How to Feel and Act More Patient
- Relax, breathe, and pray. I raised my hands in surrender to the Lord. “Lord, help me see this from your perspective. Help me be grateful for the good things happening in my life. Let me know if there are any changes you want me to make. Make me aware of fears I need to conquer, or steps I can take in this situation.”
- Stop doing unimportant tasks. We cram more into a day than we can do. We try to fit in one more task before we leave the house, then get impatient with others because we aren’t relaxed and have not prayed. Take a few moments. Ask the Lord to show you what is essential, and leave the rest for another day.
So be careful how you live, making the most of your time. Ephesians 5:15-16
- Learn to wait well. Learning to wait means trusting that God is working on the problem while we keep doing the last thing He told us to do. I like to remember this verse.
The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. 2 Peter 3:9
- Recognize wants versus needs. God meets our needs, not everything we want. If we needed to know or have something, God will make it happen. If we don’t have it or know it yet, He has determined we don’t need it right now.
And the same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his riches in glory. Philippians 4:19
