Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Patience

Being in such a trying time right now is testing one of my greatest weaknesses: patience.
Even as a child, I knew that patience did not come easily. It continued into my teens but as I got older, I thought I'd "dealt with it." I thought that, while 9 months would be hard away from my husband, I could "be strong" and just be fine. I forgot to weigh in being a mother of two toddlers by myself, and yet not completely by myself. I'd have to humble myself and take suggestions and direction and "rules" from the people I'd be staying with in those times.  While my in-laws are not demanding at all, living with my parents again brings all the childhood and teen irritations that I had when I was completely under their authority.
Christ is the hope of freedom no matter what the circumstance, no matter where you are. I don't know how a non-Christian, single-mom can survive in this world! Not having a reuniting date with my husband is driving me a bit stir-crazy. How can a person without the hope of life in heaven after death keep pushing on in such an oppressing, sinful world?! Anyways, analyzing single-parenting, world-views, and immediate family issues was not the point of this post.
If I am going to survive this time and future times, I need to have an arsenal of thoughts (verses) hidden in my heart to keep from attacking those I love and disgracing the beautiful name of Christ.

2 Corinthians 6: 1-10
And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain - for He says, "At the Acceptable Time I listened to you, And on the Day of Salvation I helped you." Behold, now is "the Acceptable Time," behold, now is "the Day of Salvation" - giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true; as unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put to death, as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things.

Galatians 5: 16-18, 22-26
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

2 Timothy 4:1-2
I solemnly charge you in the presence of god and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.
But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

1 Peter 2:18-20
Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a persons bears up under sorrow when suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? but if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.

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