LOVE

I have often prayed for God to help me love better, but I have to do my part, as well. By this I mean seek out what love is. I found the answer in 1 Corinthians 13. 

 

Love is: 

Patience

Kindness

Not jealous

Not arrogant

Not unbecoming

Not seeking its own

Not being provoked 

Not holding onto wrongs suffered

Rejoicing in truth

Bearing all things

Believing all things

Hoping in all things 

Enduring all things

 

Love goes even further. It is: 

Helping one another

Encouraging one another

Praying for one another 

 

I simply cannot LOVE without a willing heart and God’s help. 

 

Fork in the Road

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14

     My sense of direction has always been lacking. I do not know how I ever traveled without the modern-day GPS; however, even the GPS can get it wrong. When I come to a fork in the road, my best GPS is patience to know God’s direction.

Patience and Kindness

One of my devotionals this morning was on knowing God's voice. The other one was on how God teaches us patience. One way, the author wrote, was to place me in a long line at the Department of Motor Vehicles or at a delayed doctor appointment. I laughed at that because I have certainly been there. 
     God has also taught me kindness as happened to me just this week. I was out of town, had just gone under a green light, and about to turn into a Walmart  parking lot when I looked behind me only to see flashing blue lights. I promptly found an empty parking space and rolled down the window to ask the police office what I had done because I was sure the light I had gone under was green and not red but was already doubting myself. Let me just note right here that I was asking kindly. It turned out I had a tail light out or should I say my husband had a tail light out since I was the driver of his truck. 

     I may have been a bit kinder to the officer than to my husband when I found out the problem. The whole process was friendly. We visited with the officer about people he knew in a town near ours, and we thanked the officer for his service when he handed me the warning ticket which I promptly passed on to my detailed husband, with confidence  he would immediately take care of the problem. 

     Kindness goes a long way in making situations pleasant and in being considerate of what is required for others in performing their job requirements.  

Impatient

        There are times, I believe, when we all need patience.  We want what we want, and we want it now or at least I do.  I've heard it said, "Don't pray for patience, because you might get it!"  And some say God does not have a sense of humor!  

        When it comes to being impatient, we often create a lot of problems for ourselves.  Our impatience often causes us not to have faith in God who, by the way, is in control of all things and who knows what is best for us.  So, when a door closes maybe, we should "nail a board over it"  so we can see the one that is opening for our best interest. 

       What else can I say about being impatient and what it could cause?

 

 I-rritability could result

M-oods could be altered negatively

P-ity parties could make us depressed

A-ttitudes could change to the worse

T-empers could flair

I-llness from stress could get us down

E-xperience jealously  

N-arrow-out better opportuinties

T-ake temporary gratification  

     Look at the example given in Numbers when the Israelites complained about their impatience to get into the promise land.  They were rebellious, so God sent snakes among the people.  They doubted God and His Word.

     Look at another example given in Genesis of a man who was patient.  Jacob fell in love with Rachel and agreed to work seven years for her hand in marriage.  On the day of the wedding, Jacob was deceived and given the hand of Leah, the older sister.  In order to marry Rachel, Jacob agreed to work seven more years.  That is, indeed, patience.   Jacob was finally rewarded, not only with having Rachel for his wife, but doors of opportunity were given enabling him to acquire much wealth. 

     Regardless of our situations, we must remember that God is in control, and we need to continually maintain our faith in the working power of our Creator, Lord, and Master.