Join us in The Love Challenge! 
Each day, for 14 consecutive days, we’re looking at, thinking and praying about the 14 characteristics of love described in the great love chapter of the Bible, 1 Corinthians 13. If you haven’t read it recently take a few minutes today and review it.
By the way, if you missed the message that prompted the challenge you can listen to or download it here!
Dig in for the next 14 days and see God change your life!
Day 1 | Love is Patient
“Hurry up!” It’s a phrase we use (and think about) regularly. When it comes to life, many of us have a “need for speed.” We want things to happen quickly, and nothing or no one to get in our way. In relationships, we’re plagued with the frustrations and irritations of people who don’t do what we want, fail to act according to our expectations, refuse to move as fast as we do, or resist making our priorities their priorities. If we’re not careful, impatience takes over in these situations and we say and do things that damage people. Impatience can be dangerous and destructive!
It’s interesting that the Apostle Paul, when describing the God-kind of love in 1 Corinthians 13, started with patience. He’s actually reminding us of a very important part of God’s nature. God Himself is patient. I’m glad He is! Think about it. When you consider all the time you have wasted on superficial things, all the proddings of God you have ignored, all the spiritual decisions you have procrastinated, all the great spiritual moments you have missed because of your slowness to respond, you’ll begin to understand how severely you have tested God’s patience. Yet, He still treats you with grace. He continues to bless and help you. Your slowness, your lack of responsiveness, and even your laziness has never caused God to lose His cool with you, or to stop loving you!
In your world, who tests your patience? What people get under your skin? What circumstances vex your soul? What problems does impatience cause in your relationships?
We’re called to love like God loves. The God-kind of love — is patient! When things aren’t moving at your desired speed, when people aren’t responding as quickly as you would like, when folks become frustrating, irritating and agitating, when people get in your way or invade your turf, choose patience! Stop and think for a moment about God’s patience with you. Choose to treat others the way God treats you!
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