October 12: Slow Simmer – The Power of Patience

Slow Simmer – The Power of Patience

Scripture: “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” – Ecclesiastes 3:1

By Sharon Campbell Danvers | Daughters Arise Ministries

Some dishes cannot be rushed. If you try to turn the heat up too high, the bottom burns while the top remains raw. But if you let the food simmer slowly, the flavors blend, the texture softens, and the meal becomes rich and satisfying. The slow simmer brings out the best in the dish.

As a farmer, I know that the same is true for the land. To reap healthy crops takes time. Some fruits take months before they appear, and even then, patience is required before they ripen. There were times when I would wonder, “Why is this fruit taking so long to come forth?” I would even talk to the trees and pray for them to bear. I remember once telling a tree that if it did not produce, I would cut it down—and not long after, it began to produce! That experience taught me that growth has its own season, and patience is a part of the process.

These lessons are synonymous with developing a strong relationship. The most beautiful things in marriage—trust, intimacy, partnership, and deep love—do not appear instantly. They require nurturing, consistency, prayer, forgiveness, and above all, patience. Just as the slow simmer in cooking allows all the flavors to blend, patience in marriage allows two different people to blend their hearts, dreams, and lives into one.

The flavor that I am now experiencing in my relationship is due to the simmering process. There are some things in our relationship that we just could not rush. Over time we have learned the heart of patience, the heart of forgiveness, and the heart of true understanding. What seemed slow in the beginning is now rich and full, because simmering allowed us to savor what God was building in us.

Rushing a relationship often leads to disappointment. We become frustrated when our spouse does not grow as quickly as we expect, or when changes in behavior do not happen overnight. But love is patient. It waits, it believes, it nurtures, it hopes. When we choose to simmer instead of rush, we give space for God to do His refining work in us and in our marriage.

The truth is that some of the richest marriages are not the ones that started with instant perfection, but the ones that simmered slowly over years of laughter, tears, struggles, and victories. Their “flavor” is deep because patience had its perfect work.

So, where do you need patience in your relationship today? Are you rushing growth, demanding quick results, or losing hope because the fruit has not appeared? Remember, every season has its purpose. Just as crops bear fruit in due season, so too will marriages yield a harvest of joy, if we are willing to nurture with patience.

Reflection Questions

• Am I rushing my spouse’s growth instead of allowing space and time for God to work?

• How can I nurture patience in the areas of my marriage that feel slow to change?

• Do I trust that God’s timing in my relationship is perfect?

Prayer
Father, thank You for reminding us that love takes time to grow and flourish. Teach us the power of patience in our marriages. Help us to nurture instead of rush, to simmer instead of burn, and to trust Your timing in every season of our relationship. May our love deepen with every year, bringing forth fruit that glorifies You.