Day 1. Love is Patient and Kind.

Taylor J.
Aug 1, 2016
4 min read

Love is Patient

Patient- able to accept or tolerate delays, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious.

We all know or have an idea of what God requires of as believers. He requires us to live a lifestyle that reflects and serves him and only him. When we live a holy lifestyle not only does is please God but it allows us to live a life full of purpose and success. He has even showed many of us a glimpse of our future and we are fully aware of what gifts and talents we have on the inside of us. Even after we have given our lives over to God the almighty and called him our lord, we go out and feed our flesh. I don't know about you but I gave my life over to God at the age of 9 years old and I got caught up in so much sin and foolishness that caused me to lose so much time. I was a mess and every time I crawled back to him full of tears and scars, he was still sitting at his throne patiently waiting on my return. God stands patiently, waiting on us to get it right so that he's able to bless and elevate us.

Be patient with yourself. Take a moment to reflect on God's plan for your life and the goals that would like to accomplish. Next, be completely honest with yourself about where you are spiritually, mentally, physically and emotionally. Don't allow your age or the thought of wasted time consume your mind. Know that you won't change or accomplish your goals overnight and that's why your process is so precious. We can sometimes be competitive and compare our lives to others instead of being comfortable and focused on our own growth. That competitive nature will cause you to become bitter and jealous. You don't really want to spend your precious time flushing bitterness and jealousy out of your heart do you? NOW THAT'S A WASTE OF TIME, especially since it's avoidable. When you're honest about your reality and where you are in life, you're able to really develop a plan for yourself. Also, understand that you're not perfect, only God is. Remain focused and work toward your goals daily. Slow and steady ALWAYS wins the race.

Journal time-

1. What are your goals and God's plan for your life?

2. Where are you spiritually, mentally, physically and emotionally?

3. Are you competitive?

4. How do you plan to accomplish each goal?

Be patient with others! Knowing how patient God is with you should encourage you to be more patient with others. I'll be honest, I can be a handful sometimes but God has never given up on me. I'm very sure that sometimes my elders are sitting back shaking their heads and thinking to themselves “I used to do that very thing, I wish that woman will just get it together”. When we grow we become excited and want the people that we care about to grow as well, then we be try to force them into what we want them to have. Although you may have good intentions, you may be too aggressive and that honestly offends and chases people away. God was patient with you, so allow them to walk their journey, plant seeds and water. Love them by meeting them exactly where they are and and be patient as they grow.

Patience Strategies

Listen 80% of the time when they are venting.
Offer advice and strategies but never demand that they do it your way.
Provide resources
Always be an example

Love is Kind

Kind- Having or showing a friendly, generous, sympathetic, or warm-hearted nature.

Has anyone ever done something for you that just made you feel good, full of happiness or turned you bad attitude around? I remember having a horrible day and I had a woman smile an older lady smile at me and say that I was too cute to look down and defeated. That made warmed my heart and for the rest of the day I made an effort to smile more. For you, I bet the most memorable acts of kindness were as simple as a compliment or helping you carry your things to the car. One of my favorite quotes is “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Think about how you make others feel when you interact with them. Without rearranging your day, find simple opportunities throughout your day that make people feel good. Research has shown that people involved in volunteer work feel healthier and happier. So look at is as therapy and go for it! Make someone's day and remember that people always remember how you made them feel.

Ways to show kindness