WHAT LOVE REALLY COSTS 9: PATIENCE

The Principle of Process
Life is the unfolding of a process. Everything observes the law of process. The day doesn't just dawn in a split second. No, the dawn of day follows a process. If you observe closely you'll realise that there is the principle of process in all that God has made. I think one of the reasons for this is to help us appreciate the fact that patience is very important.

God is never in a hurry and God is love. Love doesn't hurry. We need to learn this. Take a look around you and notice the law of process at work. Children grow into adults over time. That naughty little rascal of a boy eventually grows up to be calm, sensible and prudent in matters. Over time things change. Seeds grow and bear fruit over time. The harvest never happens the next minute after the seed is put into the ground.

When we jump the process, we get results that aren't as good as they would have been if we had followed the due process. In relating with those we love we also have to allow them grow and get better with time. Allow patience take its due course. True love gives room to people to learn and develop. Sometimes you can even use the yardstick of patience to determine whether or not a person's love is true. Are they patient with you?

We Cannot Do Without Patience
Do you realise that the people we value the most in life are those who have been patient with us the most? Let's take your parents for instance. Your parents were there with you and for you from your cradle days till you grew into someone who could do things for yourself. They cleaned you up when you could not help yourself, they took you to school and kept telling you you were special.

This is what parenting should be and many of us got such treatments from our parents. It therefore isn't a surprise that we value our parents so much. They've been there for us. It's a natural principle. When you're patiently loving someone, you make yourself greatly loved and valued by them. The truth is many of the things you are not comfortable with now will not change overnight. But they will change. When that will happen though is unknown and that's where patience comes in.

We all need people to be gentle with us and to just believe in us no matter how messed up we may seem to be right now. Truth is, none of us will fare well in the absence of people being patient with us. Without patience your relationship/marriage will not mature gracefully. Without patience you'll be forcing out of it what should naturally show up in its right time - some time later. Don't force the process.

Another Dimension of Patience
Patience is a rule to follow in love matters. For singles and those courting, patience will keep you from indulging in sex before marriage. Yes, when you think of WhatLoveReallyCosts, you should consider this dimension of patience. Patience tells you sexual pleasure is waiting for you in your future and it gives you the strength to think right today and make noble decisions.

Is it possible to stay off sex until one exchanges their marriage vows with their spouse? Yes, it is. Many have done it and many are still doing it. You definitely can. You were designed with that ability. Don't let the media lie to you. Give yourself a new orientation - a different one. Resolve to operate patiently. There's more dignity, respect and fulfilment when you travel this path.

If you've already blown it already, no worries. We cannot go back into the past and undo what has been done. But we can make choices to chart a different course for ourselves as we navigate into the future. You can trust God to keep you from this time on and then, decide you're not going to blow it anymore until you get married.

Your Patience Will be Tested
For all singles, those courting and those who are married, several situations and circumstances will arise to test your patience. Some of them will test your patience to determine whether you're going to keep sticking to your partner. Others will test your patience to determine whether you'll still remain in that relationship/marriage.

Some people have failed these tests. You find someone leaving one relationship or marriage to another because they think the grass is greener there. Soon enough they find out they've made the wrong decision and some live with this guilt almost all their lives. Some things cannot be repaired. The problem with many of such persons was that they failed to stand when their patience was tested.

Love will demand patience from you. One of the ways to train yourself to pass the test when they come, is to begin to develop yourself in different areas of patience. Work at being steady in your convictions concerning things, no matter how things turn out to be. Work at showing people mercy and at giving them a whole lot more than they deserve. Understand that like everything else, people go through a process and then they do eventually get better. Believe in people. Allow them grow through the process.

Thanks for visiting my blog. I hope it's been value for your time. You definitely want to see to the end of this series.
All images are from google.com

Have a beautiful Christmas Eve.