What does it mean that love is patient?
The Bible has a lot to say about love and patience. One of the most well-known verses that connects these two concepts is 1 Corinthians 13:4, which says that “love is patient.” But what exactly does it mean for love to be patient? Here are 9000 words exploring this idea from a biblical perspective:
To start, we need to understand what the Bible means by “love.” The original Greek word is agape, which refers to selfless, unconditional, sacrificial love. This is the highest form of love, the kind of love God has for us and the kind of love He calls us to have for others.
Patience is also an important concept in the Bible. The Greek word translated “patient” in 1 Corinthians 13:4 is makrothumia, which means patience, endurance, longsuffering and slowness in avenging wrongs. So when the Bible says love is patient, it means that true, agape love demonstrates patience, bearing with others even when it’s difficult.
How exactly does love act patiently? Below are several key ways the Bible shows how godly, agape love expresses patience:
1. Love is slow to anger.
Human love is often conditioned on others meeting our expectations and desires. When they fail to do so, we can quickly become irritated and lash out in anger. But God’s love is different – He is slow to anger, even though we constantly fall short of His perfect standards (Exodus 34:6). His love patiently bears with us in our weaknesses.
As people who have experienced God’s gracious patience toward us, we are called to reflect His character by being slow to anger toward others. As Proverbs puts it, “Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly” (Proverbs 14:29). Our patience with others shows wisdom and self-control empowered by the Holy Spirit.
2. Love perseveres through difficult circumstances.
When Paul says love “bears all things” in 1 Corinthians 13:7, he likely has persecution and suffering in mind. Agape love stands firm even under tremendous pressure and endures patiently through hard times. This kind of steadfast patience reflects Christ Himself, who endured tremendous agony on the cross because of His love for us (Hebrews 12:2).
As believers, we are called to show the same persevering patience with others, even when it’s difficult or inconvenient. This includes bearing with one another’s weaknesses and burdens (Galatians 6:2), forgiving grievances (Colossians 3:13), and gently correcting false teaching (2 Timothy 2:24-25). Agape love moves us to patiently work through challenges rather than giving up on relationships.
3. Love waits patiently for God’s timing.
Human love often demands instant responses and solutions. We get upset if our desires aren’t fulfilled immediately. But biblical love waits on God’s perfect timing.
Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage.” God often makes us wait to strengthen our faith and teach us perseverance. As we wait on Him patiently, He renews our inner being (Isaiah 40:31).
This truth applies to our relationships too. Rather than trying to manipulate outcomes or force our agenda, agape love waits patiently on God to work in people’s hearts in His timing. This takes pressure off the relationship and allows space for God to work.
4. Love is patient in pursuing unity.
Because of our fallen nature, conflict inevitably arises even among believers. Human love often acts impatiently and demands its own way, creating more discord. But agape love seeks true unity, which requires great patience.
Ephesians 4 instructs us to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1-3). This exhortation makes clear that preserving unity requires humility, gentleness and bearing with one another patiently.
As James affirms, “the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere” (James 3:17). Godly wisdom is patient and gentle, leading to true unity, not demanding its own way. Patience is essential for healthy relationships in Christ.
5. Love is patient in doing good to others.
Human love tends to be partial, only extending patience and kindness to those we naturally like. But agape love is indiscriminate – it shows patience and perseveres in doing good even to those who are ungrateful or unworthy of it. As Jesus put it, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you” (Luke 6:27-28). This was modeled by Christ Himself as He prayed for His enemies even while suffering on the cross.
Scripture commands us, “see that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone” (1 Thessalonians 5:15). As we do good patiently even to “enemies,” we reflect God’s merciful patience that leads to repentance (Romans 2:4). Patience enables us to return good for evil rather than revenge.
6. Love waits patiently for Christ’s return.
The ultimate display of biblical patience is our eagerness for Christ’s return. Human love often bores easily and loses perseverance, even regarding spiritual things. But agape love waits patiently and expectantly for Jesus’ return.
Hebrews encourages believers to be “imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Hebrews 6:12). Our inheritance in Christ is sure but we wait for it with patience. Just as loving parents eagerly await being reunited with their children, we wait patiently for Christ, knowing it will be worth it (Romans 8:18-25). This patient hope sustains us.
7. Love patiently bears the weaknesses of others.
All human relationships involve putting up with others’ flaws and idiosyncrasies. Our natural tendency is to be impatient and irritated when people don’t change as quickly as we’d like. But God’s love moves us to patiently bear with one another.
Paul instructs, “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:1-2). Because Christ has borne with our great flaws, we ought to show the same patience toward our brothers and sisters in Him.
Of course, this doesn’t mean permitting sin. We have a responsibility to humbly and gently confront sin when necessary (Matthew 18:15-20). But we are called to do so patiently, recognizing our own weaknesses too. As Paul says, “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness” (Galatians 6:1). Love requires this kind of patient, gentle restoring of others.
8. Love does not demand its own way.
Human love tends to be conditional – we are patient and kind when our expectations and desires are being met. But when circumstances don’t line up with our own agenda, we often turn impatient and resentful. Mature agape love is not so fickle.
1 Corinthians 13 says love “does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful” (1 Corinthians 13:5). Rather than demanding that people and circumstances cater to our desires, biblical love yields patiently to what’s best for others and the greater good. After all, that is exactly what Christ did for us by giving Himself up to death on the cross (Philippians 2:1-11).
Of course this doesn’t mean compromising truth – we still contend for what’s right. But agape love is not selfishly demanding or impatient when it doesn’t get its own way. This takes humility, selflessness and patience empowered by God’s Spirit.
9. Love patiently trusts God’s work in others.
Rather than being dictatorially demanding, agape love patiently trusts God to produce change in His timing. We are simply called to reflect God’s patient, persevering love to others through our words and actions.
When Jesus restores Peter who had denied Him, He doesn’t berate him but gently asks Peter if he loves Him (John 21:15-17). Peter still had maturing and growing to do, but Jesus met him where he was and patiently worked with Him. We too are called to imitate God’s patience by gently teaching and correcting while trusting Him to bring conviction and growth.
Similarly, Jesus’ parable of the weeds among wheat cautions us not to be impatient and try to uproot unbelievers or immature Christians prematurely. The master tells his servants, “Let both grow together until the harvest” (Matthew 13:30) – i.e. let God deal with people’s hearts in His timing. Of course we still humbly confront sin, but we also trust God patiently in His work.
In summary, “love is patient” means agape love:
– Is slow to anger
– Perseveres through difficulties
– Waits on God’s timing
– Pursues unity patiently
– Continues doing good even when unappreciated
– Eagerly awaits Christ’s return
– Bears others’ weaknesses
– Doesn’t demand its own way
– Trusts God’s work in others
This kind of love can only be produced in our hearts by God’s Spirit. As we walk by the Spirit, He grows His patient, persevering love in us (Galatians 5:22-23) so we can reflect it to others. Just as God has been extraordinarily patient with us, He empowers us to show extraordinary patience in our relationships when human love would typically give up. This brings glory to God and models His gracious patience to the world around us.
While living this out is not easy or natural, we can be encouraged that the saving work of Christ and indwelling of the Holy Spirit enable us to demonstrate biblical patience when our human nature would react otherwise. Our weakness is an opportunity to rely on God’s strength and patience. As we grow in godly patience toward others, we reflect God’s character on display in the gospel. May we be people characterized by agape love that “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:7) for God’s glory.
