I Can't Get It Right! Duh!

Did you ever try to do the right thing and find that it was actually the thing that was tripping you up? Do you know what I mean? Like I desire to be a good servant of the Most High God and to be a “good mom,” so I have memorized the LOVE VERSES from I Corinthians 13, and I have required my children to learn them too. When we have a conflict in the family, we often go to these verses to ask ourselves where we are wrong and what we should be doing instead. So wise. So pious.

I Corinthians 13:4-8

Love is patient,

love is kind.

It does not envy, it does not boast,

it is not proud.

It is not rude, it is not self seeking,

it is not easily angered,

it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil

but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts,

always hopes,

always perseveres.

Love never fails.

But honestly, some days I am so discouraged by these verses! EVERY DAY I fail at this list. EVERY DAY I blow it on several accounts. So, maybe I can be patient and kind one day, but then I find that I am keeping a record of wrong, envying, easily angered, or I lose hope. Actually, I have lost hope often…so it’s a lot easier to just go to the part I “need” for parenting in the moment. But I don’t go to these verses for comfort or with any kind of joy. It’s the opposite, really. I feel like such a loser when I line myself up with these verses, so I avoid them!

But they are always there, in the back of my mind. Lately, God’s been showing me how wrong my ideas about Him have been. Maybe it’s this grace thing. He’s been opening my eyes to His grace for over a year now, and recently He’s been talking to me about l-o-v-e. But I told Him I don’t know how much I like these verses. (Well, that was really poor grammar, and a deceptive way a saying what I really think.)

The truth:  “See, God, I don’t like these verses because I can never measure up. I try really hard, even really leaning on your strength, but I can never get them. Never get them all right. Lots of days I don’t know if I get any of them, really, in my heart. Look pretty good on the outside, but you know my heart.”

So, you know what He said to me? “Go look at them again.”

And I’m thinking, “I know, I’ve heard good Bible teachers say, ‘Now put your name in there every time it says ‘love.’ That’s part of the problem, God, I am NOT these things.  I told You I try, but I fail.”

But instead, patiently, He said, “Don’t put your name in there, put MY Name in there every time it says ‘love’. I AM LOVE.”

I Corinthians 13:4-8

Jesus is patient,

Jesus is kind.

Jesus does not envy, Jesus does not boast,

Jesus is not proud.

Jesus is not rude, Jesus is not self seeking,

Jesus is not easily angered,

Jesus keeps no record of wrongs.

Jesus does not delight in evil

but Jesus rejoices with the truth.

Jesus always protects, Jesus always trusts,

Jesus always hopes,

Jesus always perseveres.

Jesus never fails.

WOW! Perspective shift! A multitude of scripture and songs running through my mind, but the theme of them all…Jesus IS love. Jesus has done it all! It’s all about Him, not me or my striving.

John 3:30 "He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Sole Deo Gloria!

WPS