Tar Baby

Good Rainy Saturday,

It's a great day to play catch up inside. I'm assuming we all have rain like Nashville does right now and it is suppose to last all day throughout tomorrow. I slept late too! Loved it.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Galatians 5:22)

Today we are taking a look at Longsuffering...that just leaves a bad taste in your mouth, doesn't it? I mean, who wants to suffer and especially looongsuffering?

It must be a trait that once again can only come from God In You. I can tell you right now that my flesh sure does struggle with this one. I can think of only one reason He would supply this for us. He has PROMISED that his children WILL suffer. He suffered to learn obedience so we can know that if our Master had to endure suffering, we will also. In all His preciousness, He has supplied Longsuffering so that we also can endure when the storms of life come to us. Endure in His strength...and we will also, He says, have joy. His strength is our Joy. Now that helps in a huge way to know that we will get through whatever it is that we are having to endure. I want to stop and thank Him right now for giving us this wonderful gift/fruit. How would we make it in the land of the living without His vast supply of HELP.
One of the main definitions of the word longsuffering is that it is referring to patience. And patience is another sorely needed quality in the fast paced world in which we live in today.

Here are the different definitions for the word longsuffering:

* Forbearance, patience

* Patient endurance and steadfastness under provocation

* Forbearance under ill-will, with no thought of retaliation

* Patience, endurance, steadfastness and forbearance

* Forbearance under suffering and endurance in the face of adversity

* Ability to endure persecution and ill-treatment

When I read this list of definitions I can feel myself rebelling against going through any of these things. But it is a fact that it happens, therefore, our walk with the Lord, our Thanksgiving and praise, our dependence on Him, our security in His Love for us becomes so very precious. If we will listen to our spirits, we will know what areas we need to run to Jesus to give over to Him. He has died to set us free and walk in forgiveness. He LIVES so that it is Not I, but Him. To God be the Glory!

Blessings,
Mom/Meme/Linda