Sunday Drive - Love Is Patient

And just like that fall is practically over....

Love Is Patient

Now, I know what you may be thinking... Ugh patience... that means I'm going to be tested by problems, or a slow driver, or have to wait in line, or deal with difficult people or yada yada yada. Well, there's some truth to all of that. In this life, we will deal with all these things. My question to you is how well are you going to deal with them.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NLT)
4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

This is quite the list Paul put together in 1 Corinthians. It's not an easy list to live by. But we are called to strive towards being Christ like. This list is Christ like. It still amazes me that He loves us and is patient with us even when we are behaving unkind or rude or irritable. I've found myself behaving like that more times than I'd like to admit. Actually, that's what spurred this devotional... 

It's definitely hard to live up to those qualities in 1 Corinthians. We need to keep reminding ourselves of this verse. 

Dealing with people can often test our patience. People get angry and impatient and become rude or hurtful. Some people are just having a bad day. We've all been there. We need to show love even when we don't want to. 

A devoted parent has to develop patience. The demands of babies and young children will test anyone's level of patience. Yet, as a parent we easily put aside our own needs to focus and care for the needs of our children. We don't even have to think about it. We just do it.

Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)
22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

One of the fruits of the spirit is patience. The Holy Spirit can help us grow in our patience. We can't just claim, " I have no patience." That really isn't an option as a believer. We might not have much, but we can grow and learn to become more patient.

It's all apart of the journey as a Christ follower. Sometimes, The Lord is working on our joy, sometimes we need help with our kindness or self-control, or maybe we need help in the area of patience. We're all on this journey, but at different stops along the way. We don't give up. We keep going and striving for excellence in Christ.

Romans 12:12 (NLT)
12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.

We are getting ready to hit the 'busy' time of the year. People are rushing here and there, with lots to do on their lists. We may be challenged a bit more than usual. This is a great time to memorize 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. Also to remember how patient our Lord is and has been with us. I am so very grateful for His patience with me!

Psalms 147:11 (NIV)
11 the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.

Blessings,
Lori