“I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” Philippians 1:6 (NLT)
When my kids were little, they would bring pictures to me that they had drawn and say, “What do you think of this, Daddy?” I would tell them, “That’s perfect! It looks great.” When I told them it was perfect, I didn’t mean that it was a Picasso. I loved what they had created because it was perfect for that stage in their lives.
In the same way, God doesn’t wait until you’re mature to start loving you. He doesn’t wait for you to clean up or straighten up to think you’re good enough for his love.
You shouldn’t do that with others, either. You’ve got to love them, warts and all. You’ve got to be patient with their progress.
The apostle Paul is a great example of this: “I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns” (Philippians 1:6 NLT). Paul knew God was doing a good, long work in the lives of the people in the Philippian church, and he was patient with their progress.
Being patient with other people’s progress is an essential part of happiness. Why? If you’re always expecting perfection in people before you can enjoy a relationship with them, then you’re never going to be happy. That’s because nobody’s perfect—especially you.
Here’s a little happiness hint: If you want to have happier and healthier relationships, then celebrate how far people have come rather than judging them for how far they still have to go. You’ve got to be patient with people’s progress.
To be able to celebrate people instead of judging them for their imperfections, you need patience. And the key to patience is love.
Paul says in the next verse, “It is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart” (Philippians 1:7 NLT).
“In my heart”: Allowing other people to have a special place in your heart is a key to happiness. When you love and celebrate people and focus on their steps forward, then you’re going to build healthy, happy relationships.
Rick Warren is an innovative pastor, renowned author, and global influencer known for founding Saddleback Church, the Purpose Driven Network, the PEACE Plan, and Hope for Mental Health. He has written several best-selling books, including The Purpose Driven Life, which has sold over 35 million copies in 200 languages. Time magazine named Warren the most influential spiritual leader in America and one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Since stepping down from the lead pastor role at Saddleback in 2022, Warren has continued to inspire people through his Daily Hope Devotional and podcast Pastor Rick’s Daily Hope. His first book in a decade, Created to Dream, was released in April 2023.
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
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Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Southern California with campuses in major cities around the world. He is the author of The Purpose Driven Life, which has been translated into 90 languages and sold more than 50 million copies in all formats. You can listen to his daily radio broadcast at PastorRick.com.
