Patient Love: The Pace of God’s Grace

In this season of falling deeper in love with Jesus, I have learned so much. Some of these revelations are brand new, and some are ones I’ve received before—but this time, God has given me a deeper understanding.

As I’ve been in prayer and receiving greater revelation of God’s love, there’s been a common theme that He continues to highlight: Love is PATIENT.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV) says:
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

This passage is the literal blueprint of how God not only wants us to demonstrate love, but how He demonstrates love toward us. It tells us that love is patient, love is kind, it does not boast, and so forth. But as stated, in this season God has been highlighting, bold-printing, and underlining that first characteristic of love—patient.

I don’t believe Paul listed these characteristics of love in any particular order of priority, yet it’s significant that he begins with patience—the very foundation of how love operates.

Although I (God willing) have more years ahead of me than behind me, I’ve lived a little and learned a little. And I can’t help but note that worldly love often seems to move extremely fast—like a rollercoaster that never bothered with a safety check.

And unfortunately, that type of “love” is exactly how it turns out—an up-and-down rollercoaster you wish you’d never gotten on. A bunch of uncertainty—one minute it’s good, the next it’s not. One moment you’re excited, and the next you’re screaming, “Let me off!”

It’s not just love. Everything feels rushed these days. We’d rather text than call, have an item shipped to our front door instead of standing in line, or watch a 30-second clip instead of reading a book—which is why I myself am even hesitant to make this post too long. But hey, I’m not knocking any of it because my flesh prefers speed too!

But God doesn’t want us to focus on speed. He wants us to focus on patience, depth, and the steady growth of love that lasts.

God isn’t highlighting patience just because it’s a fruit of the Spirit or because it makes us appear self-controlled and restrained. He’s bringing it to our attention because the world is moving faster by the second, appealing to our flesh, which thrives on instant gratification.

Becoming accustomed to—and, safe to say, even addicted to—the fast pace of the world can have us living in the flesh rather than in the Spirit, causing us to fumble or even jeopardize God’s perfect plan and purpose for our lives.

The things of God take time, and I’m starting to realize that when something seems to be taking a while, it’s because of the perfect pace of His love and grace. It’s steady, intentional, and it doesn’t rush or leave you with whiplash. God’s love moves slowly and surely, building on a firm foundation, designed to last through every season of life. And His grace flows regardless of time, space, and matter.

So, as 1 Corinthians 13 reminds us, let’s allow that patience to guide how we love, how we wait, and how we trust God’s timing. God’s grace is abundant and never rushed, and when we learn to align with His pace, we begin to experience the fullness of His love. Life doesn’t need to be rushed, and neither does love. When we resist the pull of instant gratification and lean into His steady, intentional care, we discover a depth of peace, joy, and fulfillment—all found in walking in step with Him.