'Day One' Blog,  The Impossible Love List

The Impossible Love List – Love is Patient

patience – μακροθυμέω mak-roth-oo-meh’-o; to be long-spirited
JKV = suffereth long

Be patient? Ugh. Some people try my patience more than others. What does that mean? Right here at the top of the list the Apostle Paul generated for me, is a trait that exposes my heart for the temperamental, selfish thing it is.

To offer patience is to practice Agape, which I am commanded by Jesus to give. I am to respond to people and situations as one who “suffereth long.” I am to be, as the Greek defines it, a woman who is “long-spirited.” I am to respond to an irritant with patience whether it’s the first or thousandth time I’ve encountered it. Impossible? It is for me. Yet Jesus is clear- this is a non-negotiable.

I wonder if you’re as good as I am at making excuses for being impatience. God is teaching me to come humbly to Him for help BEFORE I come justifying my anti-loving behavior. That practice keeps bringing me face-to-face with the depth of my own sinful nature.

Is God compassionate as I struggle to extent patience? He is. The irony is that God meets me in the struggle with loads of (wait for it) – patience. So, as I struggle to be patient, God patiently tends to me. Note to self.

God asks me to do the impossible under the sway of the Holy Spirit. That’s the only way is stops being impossible. I need Him or I’m going to fail to be patient. I hear God say to me: “Anne, go out and love someone by being patient with them. Draw from Me and give generously to that person who tries your patience. Pay attention to Me and My leading in those difficult moments. Spend everything I give to you. I’ll keep the coffers full! You can afford to be exceedingly generous. Honestly, you can’t afford NOT to.”

“We love
because He first loved us.”
1 John 4:19

7 Comments

  • Nancy

    This is so good, Annie. And we as Christians, of all people, should be the most patient, as we have been shown so much patience from our God as we struggle, and often fail, to be more like Him. If we would become more like Him, we would be more patient. I thought about this and realized that rather than praying for more patience, I should focus on praying that I would become more like Christ — and as a result of being more Christlike I would be more loving, more patient, kinder, etc.

    • Anne Barbour

      Yes. We don’t have to strive for things like patience. They are gifts….of the Spirit. They come as we pour into Him and He into us. He has designed things to leave us free to pursue Him. The fruit follows. So yes, we pray that we might become more like Christ and realize that it happens as we grow in our connection with Him….as the relationship deepens so does the fruit.

  • Gail

    Very well put my fine feathered friend. Because of the Job/career/ministry that God has given me I need to be loving little people and big people all day long….. unconditionally!!!!!! This was a good reminder for me. I love you Anne Barbour and I do believe that you are very easy to love………Blessings……Gail

  • Debbie

    Wow..ouch! What a needed reminder for me — one who is often “unlovable” and not loving! Thanks sweet friend for your timely words.

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