Patience is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22) and I believe it is very much a part of love. In the description of love found in 1 Corinthians 13:4 the first thing it says about love is that love is patient.

There are 2 primary words for patience in the NT; the meaning of one is patience with people and the other is more patience with circumstances. Col 3:12 is an example of patience with people. Here the word can also be translated as long suffering; with the sense of restraint in terms of revenge when people try our patience. Hebrews 10:36 is an example of patience in circumstances where it says we need to have patience or endurance, so we can see the manifestation of what we are believing God for; despite contradictory circumstances.

So, we see that when it comes to patience in the face of circumstances, it is very much tied together with faith as it says in Hebrews 6:12 (KJV): "faith and patience inherit the promises". In Mark 11:24 we read “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them”. We believe that our prayers are answered when we pray but the physical manifestation of the answer to our prayers may take some time to arrive; this calls for patience.

As we meditate on God’s word concerning patience, the Holy Spirit can develop that fruit within us.

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