I realize that equating hope to a pillow sounds a bit too cutesy, so just hear me out. William Gurnall lived in the 1600’s and wrote about the relationship between hope and patience. If we have reasons to hope we are more likely to be patient: “patience is the back where the Christian carries his … Continue reading Hope is a… pillow?
patience
Patience follows hope
It’s good to be patient. My Louw-Nida Greek dictionary defines patience like this: “a state of emotional calm in the face of provocation or misfortune and without complaint or irritation.” In James 5:7-8, we learn WHY we can be patient. As his readers face hardship, he says this: “Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until … Continue reading Patience follows hope
People of patience sleep on it
1 Corinthians 13 is well-known for its profound description of love. There is so much wisdom jam-packed into that one short chapter that many of the words get leap-frogged and passed over. So let’s pause for a moment on these three: “Love is patient…” (verse 4) Here’s a very practical application about how to be loving … Continue reading People of patience sleep on it
Only God can count the apples in the seed
A friend of mine told me about something he saw on a fridge magnet: “Anyone can count the seeds in an apple. But only God can count the apples in the seed.” The reason I share that is because it’s easy to get discouraged when you don’t see something important in your life bearing fruit. … Continue reading Only God can count the apples in the seed
The Great Disarmer
This week you will meet someone who upsets you. They might upset you a little. Or they might upset you a lot. Maybe they’re in your own family and say something to rub you the wrong way. Or maybe they’re a friend, classmate or co-worker whose actions scratch the invisible chalkboard of your brain. So … Continue reading The Great Disarmer
Strike me blind in one eye!
Today I share a story I’ve adapted from William White. It’s about two business men. Their stores were across the road from one another and they had an incredible rivalry. When one made a big sale, he’d walk over to the other man’s store to boast about it. And the other did the same. This went … Continue reading Strike me blind in one eye!
Temptation in the age of the quick fix
Because you’re human, you get tempted. Like many other people you get tempted to do or pursue something that seems good at the time, but will immediately or eventually lead to harm in your own life or in the lives of the people around you. Some temptations are obvious. Like the temptation to steal something, … Continue reading Temptation in the age of the quick fix
Living in the time of God’s patience
Every day a woman I know wakes up, looks out her window, and says, “One more day, Lord, one more day.” She’s referring to the fact that Jesus hasn’t returned yet. As a result, we have—at least—one more day. There’s a lot of speculation about when Jesus will victoriously return to judge the world and make … Continue reading Living in the time of God’s patience
Wait, wait, wait… Boom!
You probably want awesome things for you life. Me too. Have you been waiting? Are you frustrated? If so, this encouragement is for you.
The near-cataclysmic brain attack
Isaiah 9:2 "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned." (NIV) Today's Thought It’s hard to wait for things. And our society doesn’t make it any easier. We’re used to getting things pretty much right away. The other day I was in the … Continue reading The near-cataclysmic brain attack
