Tuesday, October 16, 2007

bearing


" As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to one home when you were called - one Lord, one faith, on baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." -Ephesians 4:1-6

bearing: to hold up; support. To hold or remain firm under. To suffer; endure; undergo. To strive harder, intensify one's efforts.

I am learning, again, that we're all human and prone to pride, harshness, impatience, anger, frustration, and disunity. What does it look like to bear with one another? To suffer for, with and because of each other? To support and uphold? This is a hard thing to do - bearing with one another - much more so in love. In love requires us to examine how we are bearing with one another. Not in anger or frustration, not it pride or impatience, but in love.

Monday, October 15, 2007

Peace


Have you ever had the feeling that life is about to explode, that something has to give? People can only be pulled in so many directions for so long. I have to wonder, what's going to give, and what's going to follow. I have a sense of peace about it all though. It must be God, because, well let's just be honest, the only time I'm not overly stressed out is because someone else is more stressed out or God has somehow circumvented the freak out button. Though, I have a feeling I am not the one most stressed out, and I would hope that means a miracle is about to happen, I'm not so sure that's where God is taking all of this change.

God, grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change
Courage to change the things I can
And the Wisdom to know the difference.
Amen