strength of character

Wednesday, May 21, 2014 (8:35 a.m.)

Mmmm...

A most luxuriously self-indulgent morning. Lolling about for hours with good company and hot coffee. Thank You Father. Thank You for time to lounge. To rest. To consider our blessings.

I just read the words “celebrate life”. They were written by a mom whose son died at age nine months. She had been encouraged all along his short life to find the joy in the cards their family had been dealt.

Holy Father God, how I thank You for the strength of this one mom's character. Thank You for the lessons we get to learn from others.

With all the tears that are filling my heart, as well as my eyes, may I stop right here for a moment to thank You once more? Again I came to You with my own agenda. My plan was to talk about celebrating life. Let me instead listen to what You have for me to learn about strong characters.

Romans 5:1-11. Faith Brings Joy “Therefore,”. That means I must read the verses prior to find out what Paul was talking about.

“... God will also declare us to be righteous if we believe in God, who brought Jesus our Lord back from the dead. He [Jesus] was handed over to die because of our sins, and He was raised from the dead to make us right with God” (Romans 4:24b-25).

“Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith... we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know they are good for us – they help us learn to endure” (Romans 5:1-3).

“Learn to endure”. That is absolutely something I need Your help with! I am especially good with caving. Giving up. “Learn to endure”. I definitely like the Truth of that. Yes! Please, Father.

“And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. And this expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love” (Romans 5:3-5).

I note the progression here. How one attribute leads directly to the next one. The Life Recovery Bible has a devotional entitled Repeated Forgiveness. It speaks of the importance of needing “to be as patient with ourself as God expects us to be with others.”

It goes on to say,“Learning to wait patiently is an important characteristic for us to develop.” We are to admit sin and accept God's forgiveness so “our hope and faith have a chance to be exercised and grow stronger.”

Hmm, exercise and grow stronger. Strength of character is practiced. Exercised.

Work in and through, with and for me I pray Blessed Father. I love You so very much and I long to grow into the woman of strong character You would have me be! Thank You for Your patience, mercy and grace. Enable and empower me to use them well this day. I love You. I thank You. Amen.

(541 words ~ 10:31 a.m.)