Love Shining Brightly

This is something I struggle with a great deal and that’s exhibiting patience AND love consistently to the people in my life.  I don’t just mean family and friends, but also toward those outside that small circle.  I’m talking about the person who has 24 items in the 20 or less express lane or the person driving down the highway that cuts me off.

Instead of just smiling in a frustrating situation, I have tended to lash out, not in a physical manner but lash out still the same.  What I found was I don’t feel any better after my tirade than before I started.   That got me to thinking about a passage I’d read and heard countless times before.

John 4:7-8

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.  Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

I think without exception, we have all know love of some kind, but what I don’t think is that we display love consistently throughout our lives. I know this is true in my case.  I mentioned earlier that I struggle in situations to demonstrate love with patience, so what I’ve done is try to include a request to God that He provide me with the same patience He’s shown me.  By asking for God’s help openly I’ve done 2 things.  First, shared with Him one of my many weaknesses and secondly, made myself conscious of that weakness so that with His help I can be a more loving and therefore a better representative of His love.

Examine yourself, and the way you react to people and situations.  Is there something you need help with that might allow you to show people the love the God has shown you?  Once you’ve identified something, remember to include it in your prayers throughout the day and in no time you’ll find yourself shining brightly with His love.