Love is patient

It’s been a while since my last post, but I had to recharge my batteries a little. I realized that when I started writing my two blogs, I was doing it to share inspiration, and to reflect on what I was learning, but in my own excitement I started to concentrate more on how often I could put out a blog than what I was trying to accomplish. I was becoming frustrated by not being able to put out a blog on time. In the end, I was losing patience with myself.

I have now gone back to the beginning with daily writing exercises.

This last part of the “Love” series, will take a look at the attributes of love as listed in 1 Corinthians 13. Instead of tackling it all at once, I felt that each attribute deserved its own
Blog.

1 Corinthians 13:4
Love is patient…

“Everything happens in its own time.” There are thousands of sayings about patience, and most have been used to the point of cliché. To me, this is one of the best sayings about patience in a relationship.

God is always testing our patience, not to wear us down, but to make us stronger. The greatest story about patience is that of Job. God allowed Satan to take everything from him, except his health and faith. Through it all, Job never turned his back on God, because God would never turn his back on Job. It took a lot of patience for Job to endure what he did, and in the end he was rewarded for his patience and faith.

When we pray, we expect an answer immediately, and we expect to get what we want. It’s the whole name it and claim it attitude. If we don’t see immediate results, we think that God either doesn’t care, but just because we want something doesn’t mean it’s in our best interest to have it.

God gives us one of three answers to our prayers; either yes, no, or wait for the right time. The third answer doesn’t always sit well with today’s mindset. The common attitude today is “I want what I want, when I want it.” With the internet, and the overuse of credit cards, people find it easy to get what they want, and they are unwilling to wait, even on dating.

Internet dating sites are increasing in number, and membership is rising at an alarming rate. I’m not for, or against the idea. There have been a lot of good relationships started on the internet, but there are just as many relationships that have failed. The thing that the second group failed to take into consideration is that relationships take time, and work. They are looking for a shortcut to a meaningful relationship, and this inevitable result is a brick wall.

There are many types of relationships, but if you try to rush the natural process of any relationship, not only will it break the relationship apart, but it can also ruin your chance for future relationships. On the other hand, if you have the patience to allow the relationship to progress naturally, it can strengthen this and future relationships.

Patience is a key ingredient to a strong, healthy relationship. I realize that it’s not always easy to be patient, but if you want to base your relationships on true love, it is something you are going to have to work on. I know I still have to work on it.

Something to think about: When was the last time you lost a relationship over a shortcut, that could have been saved by being patient?

Enjoy,
Allen

The heart of Love

Mark 12:30
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.

Day three of the book takes this verse from the first day, and begins to explain it in greater detail. Tom Holladay brings up a very interesting point. “God’s principals don’t change our lives, our FAITH in God’s principals changes our lives.”

This chapter is devoted to “All your heart” and when you connect this statement to loving God with all your heart, putting God first means that you have to have faith in him. Faith comes from our emotions, and our emotions come from the heart.

Mark 12:30 placed the order of how you need to love God with a definite purpose. Before you can put God as a priority you must first have faith in him. Faith in his existence, faith in his promises, that he will do what he says he will do, and faith that God will never turn his back on us.

With the people we come in contact with, misunderstandings can occur, and they can turn on us, ruining our faith in that person. They can eventually return, and we will forgive them because they are our friends. As a result of their betrayal we are a little more cautious when reentering the relationship. God will never leave us or forsake us, and he is deserving of “all your heart.”

It is important to remember that before we were born, God chose us to have a relationship with him, and this is engrained deep within all of our hearts, but it will ultimately depend on us, whether or not we accept his offer. We must decide to put God first, and this is what day four will be about.

Challenge: search your feelings to find the faith in God’s love.

Enjoy,
Allen