Amazing Patience

In first Corinthians 13, God described love. The first characteristic listed is patience. Why is patience so important? We often equate waiting with patience, There is more to it.  God is where patience originates. God is love.      

Proverbs 14:2 says: He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly. 

To have great understanding is to have the wisdom of God. When we pray, rest should cover our soul no matter what the timetable involved.

5 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations (mental pressures) also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4 And patience, experience and experience, hope (expectation): 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. Romans 5:4

We get excited when we see God work in our lives and it does something to the heart. Believing God builds believing. God has given us The Word and his spirit to remind us of his promises to those who love him

4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue (goodness); and to virtue moral knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity (love of God) . 2 Peter 1:4-7 The love of God is shed abroad.

Respect

We all have different opinions and belief systems, but America, has, since its inception, stood for respecting the rights of others to believe as they believe, speak as they believe and worship as they believe as long as it doesn't violate natural laws or infringe on others rights. 

Awhile ago a friend of mine brought up an issue that I felt very strongly about because of what I believe about God.  God gave everyone free-will choice; he doesn't force anyone to believe him. As we continued to talk she told me I should respect others beliefs.  That isn't quite true. The real truth is that we should respect the right of others to believe and make free-will choices about what they believe, say and do. For example, if I don't believe in the observance of Lent, I have that right.  However, I do have to respect another's right to believe in it. This is a very unemotional and simplistic example, but there are other issues that evoke huge reactions and very emotional responses. I am well aware of the complexity of our society and there are issues of science and morality that are being tested in the public square. Who is supposed to set the standards of how people treat each other? It is not the government, IRS, the banking system, wall street, cable news, philosophers, social justice warriors, teachers, doctors, psychologists or even theologians that determine what is right and true.

In our conversations with each other, we will always be involved with an exchange of ideas. No two people think alike. We are all different and have had different life experiences and education. If we happen to hear a different idea and demean and act condescendingly to the other person for what they believe, the exchange stops. The word 'woke' falls in that category. It is a dividing single expression that indicates there is an opposite group  that is 'snoozing'. The label, 'woke', is polarizing. When someone opinion is at cross-purposes to what I believe, I have the right to reject it, but that does not mean I belong to a hate group. I don't hate anybody.

4 Charity suffereth long , and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; I Corinthian 13:4-6