“Love is patient…” (I Corinthians 13:4 NASB)
Members of my church who receive these meditations are fully aware of my confessed “areas of needs improvement.” And yesterday, our congregation was challenged to embrace the Fruit of the Spirit, which includes patience and is described as an attribute of love; “Love is patient.” Therefore, it was pointed out that we must embrace it to live a truly holy, set apart, sanctified life. Was God speaking specifically to me? Yes! He always does speaks to us at a specific time, for a specific purpose, through a specific messenger.
My self-appraised area for improvement, and we all have one, including you; my self-appraised are for needs improvement inserted “Be more patient” at the top of the list of things to work on to circumvent, avoid internal stress, for if I don’t manage such stress, a lack of patience can interfere with my external witness. You know how it goes. I don’t know if you have a list, but things that can stress me, at times, are the call to be patient, a low tolerance for poor preparation on the part of others, issues with punctuality, and the evidence of insufficient planning.
However, of all these, literally, patience jumped out at me as requiring more effort! Literally! Let me explain a sequence of happenings! I have a few wall-hangings, wall décor, in the Minister’s Office. It is a modest space that I don’t refer to as “My Office” or “The Pastor’s Office. It is a shared, small place. There is not even a sign on the door. There is no effort to have an office that is prompted by some internal drive to equal that of a CEO of a corporate organization. I’m just an under-shepherd, leading an organism referred to as a local church. But I am not writing to teach about humility, so let me get back to describing how patience jumped out at me, literally.
The sequence: First, I had been tested on Saturday morning when the contractor who was going to install flooring in the room where I write early, every single day , initially by being 20 minutes late, and then, after informing him that I had to leave by 12:00 noon to go to the eastside to pick up a musician and come back to the westside for a rehearsal that starts at 1:00 p.m. Noon shows up, but the contractor is hustling trying to install some trim and re-hang closet doors. At 12:12 I told the contractor, “You will just have to go ‘Now.’” Notice that you don’t see any exclamation mark after my use of the word “Now,” but there was no need. My facial expression took its place. Patience remained un-moved at the top of the list. Lord help me!
Sunday, I go into the Minister’s Office, and I notice one of the pieces of wall décor had fallen down and was sitting smack in the middle of my desk. It was not the one that says, “Love is kind,” but it is the one that says, “Love is patient.” Literally, as I said, “patience jumped out a me.” The sermon, the situation on Saturday, and the specific fallen wall décor clearly moved me to put “Be patient” on the top of my list to make perfect progress on this Christian journey. I’m striving for perfection because Jesus said, “Be ye perfect as My Father is perfect.” I’ve said it before, but if you strive for perfection, you will achieve excellence. Patience is my main area to work on this week. Pray for me.
I’ll help by praying too! But I will go further than praying! I will rely on the Lord! I will be slow to anger and even control the thoughts in my mind! I will seek to live holy and seek to live right before the morning light and all through the day and through the darkness of night.
My friend, what area has the Lord revealed to you as your area(s) of “needs improvement?” What has literally jumped out at you recently? Come on now! Show integrity and tell the truth to yourself as a start. Then, make your own list indicating your focus on improving as required. See what your first area for improvement should be, but do not make it your only priority for pushing forward for positive change. Striving to be holy as a people of God is a multifaceted assignment. Don’t wait! Take action! Start today! Yes, God’s people should be holy, for I am holy, says the Lord! However, if you mess up, have a failing, knowing you are not a failure, make your way up to heaven’s throne, look to the Lord, make amends with God, maintain a sincere feeling of repentance, and see how mercy will come down and clean you up and give you a new start to keep trying to live holy too, just like I am trying to do.
When I was young, I would hear the expression, “The patience of Job.” That’s okay, but we should be thinking of the patience of God and thanking God for the patience He has with each of us as we press on toward the mark. Thank Him with your words! Thank Him aloud! Thank Him actively, by doing your best to pass your tests in regard to your area(s) of needs improvement. Know that just as you will pray for me, I will pray for you! Love you! Maybe the closing verse is just for me in regard to my area of needs improvement. But perhaps it will help you. All scriptures is profitable! Be blessed!
“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” (Colossians 3:12 NLT)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King
These daily meditations can be found on markwritesdaily.com.