Patience comes as by-produce of God's work in our lives. If we open our hearts to the Holy Spirit, He will produce patience in us.

I recently learned how to use a concordance. So, I was flipping through mine trying to find something about God's timing. Not necessarily waiting, but the result of waiting for God's timing. The back of my NLT it didn't have "God's timing" so I looked for "waiting". Under waiting, it said to "see patience". After an exasperated sign, I flip over to patience.

Entry 1: Proverbs 25:15 - Patience can persuade a prince, and soft speech can break bones. .... What? What does that even mean? One to the next...

Entry 2: Ecclesiastes 7:8 - Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride. ... Now we are getting somewhere. This verse brought to mind the image of melted, bubbling, gold over a well-controlled, high heat fire. The slow burn. The invisible impurity fighting its way to the surface of the thick sludge-like material. The visible garbage being scraped away by the refiner's hand. The conversation went like this: M: It's not over? What do you MEAN IT'S NOT OVER!!?? You've done incredible things these last weeks. You've increased my discernment. You've given knowledge and wisdom regarding the handling of certain situations. You are opening my eyes to the awareness of battle strategies. You've set prayers on my lips motivated by YOUR heart! What. Do. You. MEAN!!

G: Slow burn. Bubbling impurities. Waiting for the perfect time when these impurities break the surface. M: I want to be mad about this... but I can't. Because you have begun to increase, I can see all the things that require me to decrease. Lord, please. Take your time. Do it right.

Entry 3: 1 Corinthians 13:4 - Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud. I know this verse by memory because my grandmother insisted this is who we should be to other people. But if LOVE is patient, then I must be patient. Not just with people, but with God.