Nothing Negative

(Part of this is taken from a study on The Love Dare.)

I Corinthians 13:1-3 -
"If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do
  not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging
  cymbal.
If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove
mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
And if I give up all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing." 

Ephesians 4:2 -
"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love."

We are to base patience on FAITH - not feelings.
How often do we "feel" like being patient?
If I "feel like" being patient - chances are that my patience is not being tried at that moment!!!

...Love is built on 2 pillars.
PATIENCE. 
KINDNESS.
"All other characteristics of love are extensions of these two 
attributes."

...Patience is a CHOICE.  
Considering that I have never been known to be a patient person - this was a statement of absolute freedom to me! Just to realize that I have a CHOICE in whether I am patient or not.
*I must choose to lead my heart to patience. Not be led by my heart. 
...If I am offended, do I quickly retaliate? Or do I stay under
control?
...Do my emotions control me?  Or do I control my emotions?

..."Anger is usually caused when the  strong desire for
something is mixed with disappointment or grief. You don't get what you want and you start heating up inside."
OUCH.

...Patience helps us give others the permission to be human. It's what I want and expect from others ... but how many times do I not give it to others? I want time to come to terms with my own humanity and screw ups - but how many times do I give others the same amount of time?
What would life be like if I really lived I Thessalonians 5:15? "See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another."

LOVE God.
LOVE myself.
LOVE others.
Now some may think that is the wrong list of order ...

However --- 
*Matthew  22:37 ... "Jesus replied, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart  and with all your soul and with all your
mind.'"
*Matthew 22:38 ... "This is the first and greatest commandment."
*Matthew 22:39  ... "And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

APPLYING THIS TO MY LIFE TODAY ...
To God ... I first thought, "That's easy. I am not impatient with God, nor am I negative to or about God." Then, God quietly spoke ... *How many times have I become impatient because I wanted God's answer to something?
*How often do I stomp my feet in prayer, impatient, because I want God to tell me what I want to hear, give me what I want and when I want it, even the way I want it? 
*How many words of complaints (negativity) come out of my mouth because God didn't do what I thought, when I thought it should be done, or the way I thought it should be?
 
Repenting now with bitter tears and a broken heart!

To myself ... Easy to see all my impatience and negativism toward myself! Hard to be patient and not speak negative about this aging and broken body! Hard not to complain over the aches and pains. Hard to be patient over my choices and decisions ... knowing to do  better - but not doing better.

To others ... With choosing to be patient and not speak negative - I am realizing just how impatient and negative I had become. ~sigh~
Again - repenting with bitter tears and a broken heart!
"Others" - not just my husband, children, grandchildren. But family and friends. Strangers. Acquaintances. People in the stores. Other drivers on the roads.

You know, I at first argued with God ...
"But it isn't fair God! Why do *I* have to be the one to be patient and not be negative? Look at all the impatient people around me! Listen to all their negative words and comments! Why must this start with me???"

God's answer? A very quiet ...  "You are right. It's not fair. But then, neither was it fair that I had to be the only one to send my Son to the Cross of Calvary."
I repent.
God, forgive me. Start with me. Here I am. I am Yours.
In Jesus' Name ...