In St. Paul's second epistle to the Corinthians, he said, patience is an act of love. "By purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, in a holy spirit, is genuine love." 

Without patience we are incapable of loving. How can we say that we love someone without taking the time to build up trust and develop a relationship?

We must patiently wait upon the Lord for He is love in its perfect form. To be patient is to let God take control of our lives. If we put our trust in Him, we'll stop trying to solve our own problems and He will bless us.

Psalm 106:13 says, "But they soon forgot all He had done; they had no patience for His plan."

We must fully trust God, remember His past blessings and wait for future ones.

Patience is to wait for the best to come. If you apply to several places for a job and you accept the first offer, you might regret it when a more valuable work experience is offered and you have to turn it down. Waiting is definitely difficult when it comes to employment because you never know if a better job will be offered or not. This is where we must trust that God will provide.

I worked as a lifeguard and swimming instructor at a pool in the city of Ottawa last year. I had worked there for more than a year and I applied for a summer job with the government of Ontario. The new job would provide me with full-time employment from mid-May to mid-August in Quebec, a travel allowance and $400 to cover part of my rent. It was an interprovincial work experience that I was definitely looking forward to.

The manager at the pool called to offer me a position for the summer and expected an answer by the end of the day. It would have been easier to refuse the position if I had heard back from the government, but the selection procedure was long due to the overwhelming number of applicants.

I explained that I had applied for another job and would need more time to get back to him, but he kept pressuring me to accept right away. I explained that due to the circumstances, I would have to turn it down.

Eventually, I received a job offer from the government. I spent the past summer in Montmagny, Que., and it was unforgettable. I wouldn't have worked there if I had been impatient and stayed at the pool.

Finally, patience will draw non-believers to the Lord. Proverbs 25:15 says, "By patience is a ruler persuaded, and a soft tongue will break a bone."

As with all virtues, Jesus demonstrates the highest ideal of patience.

St. Paul writes in a letter to Timothy 1:16: "But for that reason, I received mercy, so that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display the utmost patience, making me an example to those who would come to believe in Him for eternal life."

(Du Broy, 19, studies journalism at the University of Ottawa.)