“Charity suffereth long, and is kind. Charity envieth not.” The divine love ruling in the heart exterminates pride and selfishness. “Charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.” The purest joy springs from the deepest humiliation. The strongest and noblest characters rest upon the foundation of patience and love, and trusting submission to the will of God.
“Charity doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil.” The heart in which love rules, will not be filled with passion or revenge, by injuries which pride and self-love would deem unbearable. Love is unsuspecting, ever placing the most favorable construction upon the motives and acts of others....
Love not only bears with others’ faults, but cheerfully submits to whatever suffering or inconvenience, such forbearance makes necessary. This love “never faileth.” It can never lose its value; it is the attribute of Heaven. As a precious treasure, it will be carried by its possessor through the portals of the city of God.
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, and peace. Discord and strife are the work of Satan and the fruit of sin.... Let each ask himself: Do I possess the grace of love? Have I learned to suffer long, and to be kind?—Testimonies for the Church 5:168-169. RRe 99
Christ ascended to heaven, bearing a sanctified, holy humanity. He took this humanity with Him into the heavenly courts, and through the eternal ages He will bear it, as the One who has redeemed every human being in the city of God.—The Review and Herald, March 9, 1905 quoted in The S.D.A. Bible Commentary 6:1054. Hvn 75
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23. KJV