There's a tiny verse in the Bible that my eye fell upon the other day: "Do everything in love." - 1 Corinthians 16:14
That's the whole verse. Small and yet big. Unassuming and yet oh, so powerful! It does not say to try to do everything in love. It does not say to do some things in love and some things 'in like'. It says to do EVERYTHING in love. When I started to think about this, it became overwhelming. That means I have to drive 'in love'. That means I have to talk to someone I'm not really crazy about 'in love'. Everything that I can think about that I don't like doing, I have to do in love. How can this be?? How is this possible?
First of all, we are not alone in this (see last blog). God is beside us giving us the wisdom and the strength that we need to walk this out. And secondly, He knows we are frail and that we will mess up from time to time. God's grace is greater than our mistakes.
We can start to do this today in small ways. Small steps is always a great way to start. Just by being conscious of something is a great place to start. Try to think of an area of your life where you are constantly challenged. I thought about my driving. I am normally a patient person but when I get behind the wheel of a car, some crazy creature takes over my brain and makes me want to speed and do and say inappropriate things to people who get in my way. So, since I have read this verse, I have picked my driving as the first thing to do in love. I asked God to give me what I needed and guess what? I am actually getting more patient! I also have a great worship CD in the car and so if I get caught behind slow traffic or a long train, I take the time to focus on Him and not on my own petty stuff. I arrive feeling much more peaceful (and much less guilty!!).
I would love to hear about the one thing that you picked to start on and to hear your adventures and triumphs in that area!
That's the whole verse. Small and yet big. Unassuming and yet oh, so powerful! It does not say to try to do everything in love. It does not say to do some things in love and some things 'in like'. It says to do EVERYTHING in love. When I started to think about this, it became overwhelming. That means I have to drive 'in love'. That means I have to talk to someone I'm not really crazy about 'in love'. Everything that I can think about that I don't like doing, I have to do in love. How can this be?? How is this possible?
First of all, we are not alone in this (see last blog). God is beside us giving us the wisdom and the strength that we need to walk this out. And secondly, He knows we are frail and that we will mess up from time to time. God's grace is greater than our mistakes.
We can start to do this today in small ways. Small steps is always a great way to start. Just by being conscious of something is a great place to start. Try to think of an area of your life where you are constantly challenged. I thought about my driving. I am normally a patient person but when I get behind the wheel of a car, some crazy creature takes over my brain and makes me want to speed and do and say inappropriate things to people who get in my way. So, since I have read this verse, I have picked my driving as the first thing to do in love. I asked God to give me what I needed and guess what? I am actually getting more patient! I also have a great worship CD in the car and so if I get caught behind slow traffic or a long train, I take the time to focus on Him and not on my own petty stuff. I arrive feeling much more peaceful (and much less guilty!!).
I would love to hear about the one thing that you picked to start on and to hear your adventures and triumphs in that area!
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