As I begin a new year, Lord I feel you calling me back to 1
Corinthians 13 to remind me what true love is and how I should strive to truly
love others.
“Love is patient.” What is patience? In Biblical terms,
“patience is: waiting for, looking and hoping for, expecting, preserving,
enduring, bearing, remaining and abiding.”[i]
As I patiently waited, You brought to me a husband who is also patient and
together we bear and endure the heartache of this world. We know that true love
is always looking, hoping, and expecting to find the kind of love You speak
about in this verse. I hear You calling
me to be more patient this year. So God please show me how to be patient in
order to grow more near to the love You talk about in 1 Corinthians 13.
“Love is kind.” Kindness is one of the fruits of the spirit
and Godly love changes us. “God’s nature is that of incredible loving-kindness
toward all people,”[ii] In order to be truly kind one must “get rid
of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form
of malice.”[iii] Kindness must be learned and practiced.
“….God doesn’t except excuses for failing to show kindness.”[iv]
Ephesians 4:31-32 says, “Be kind and compassionate to one
another.” So Lord how can I be kind to those who say unkind things and who
treat me unkindly? “Kindness starts with caring.”[v] Kindness calls us to self-sacrifice. Lord teach me to be kind even to those who
say unkind things to me and those who treat me unkindly. Lord help me to learn
to practice kindness every day and to lay down my bitterness, rage, anger,
brawling, slander and every form of malice.
“It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.”
Jealousy and envy use to consume me. I must admit sometimes it still rears its
ugly head. But I have learned as I have spent time building a relationship with
you, God, to be happy with what I have and to be happy for others and the gifts
they have been given. There is a plaque in our house that says, “People in life
who are the happiest don’t have the best of everything. They make the best of
everything they have.” We live in a modest condo now but we offer hospitality
to all who enter. We don’t need a lot of material things to make us happy. Lord
continue to teach me to be happy with the gifts you have given me and to not be
jealous causing me to try and boast about how great I am. Please continue to
point out those times when I forget.
“It is not rude.” “What is rude? Webster’s Dictionary
describes rude as not having or showing concern or respect for the rights and
feelings of other people.” When we are not concerned or respectful of others,
we say and do things that are hurtful without realizing it. Lord help me to see when I say hurtful things
that belittle and disrespect others. Lord point out to me if I act in a rude
manner by disrespecting other’s things. Also, Lord help me to not let others’
rude behavior destroy the inner peace I have found in you.
“It is not self-seeking. It does not insist on its own way.”
Selfish. In this verse I think you are
pointing out that showing real love can be uncomfortable for us and that it
requires self-sacrifice. Lord help me to see when I try to make life all about
me and how to make me the most comfortable at the cost of others.
“It is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs.” I
do get angry sometimes but I’ve noticed as I’ve grown closer to You I am not as
easily angered. I think now I mostly feel hurt or sorrow. But there is a time
for anger like the anger Jesus felt when He walked into the temple and found
people destroying it with their rude behavior and greed. But Jesus doesn’t keep
track of the rude behavior but continues to show us love. Please Lord help me
to be angry when it is appropriate and to forgive and move on leaving the hurt
behind and continue to show love.
“Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth.”
Lord forgive me when I have evil thoughts or when I say evil things about
others. Help me to seek the truth and not to listen to the gossip of others or
to spread gossip.
“It always protects.” True love keeps us safe from harm or
injury. It does not inflict pain by attacking with hurtful words and
disrespectful actions. Lord help me to protect all those I love by shielding
them from any hurtful words or disrespectful actions by me or by others.
“It always trusts.” Lord help me to never give my loved ones a
reason to not trust my love for them or to know that I will always be there. Help me to trust my loved ones, too. And Lord
help me to always trust your love for me.
“It always hopes.” Lord help me to focus on the potential good
in others by treating them with respect even when they don’t treat me with
respect. Let me never give up hope.
“It always preservers.” Lord teach me what it means to
preserver, to love despite the hurt and sorrow. Help me to never give up.
“Love never fails.” Lord teach me to love without fail.
Amen.
[i][i]
Jack Wellman, “7 Bible Verses about Patience with Commentary,” Christian
Crier, patheos.com
[ii]
Don Hooser, “The Fruit of the Spirit Kindness. From the Heart to the Helping
Hand,” ucg.org.
