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When something doesn’t go as planned, it can be pretty disappointing. In retrospect, so can our behavior towards the disappointment. I mean, let’s be honest for a moment and think back to the last time you were pretty frustrated. Did you lash out? Raise your voice? Say something flippant in the heat of the moment? 

My mama would tell me, “Peanut, you cannot expect you out of others”.

Wise words.

When I take myself out of the equation, the overall scope typically changes. I can see a different picture when my hurt or disappointment is not dominating the moment.

“So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭1:27‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Each one of us are made in God’s beautiful image. He makes no mistakes! We are precious in His sight.

Even when we fail.

 “Lord, you’re so kind and tenderhearted and so patient with people who fail you! Your love is like a flooding river overflowing its banks with kindness.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭103:8‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Convicted!

I fail Him everyday. I ask for forgiveness every day. He is so kind. He is incredibly loving. His mercy and grace are renewed every morning. He forgives me before, during, and after my failures.

Do we offer the same to those around us? 

Do we offer patience to the family slowly walking across the parking lot?

Are we understanding when someone doesn’t know an answer to a question that is in their line of work?

OR-

Do we judge a situation before we know the full story?

Do we criticize when our steak isn’t cooked as we’ve requested and the waitress is frazzled as she takes it back a second time?

“Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭13:10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

What if we looked at everyone as if we are looking at Jesus? What if we were talking to someone while in a tense moment, and we imagined Jesus beside them? 

He is patient with us while we fail. 

Let us be patient with others when they fail. 

“Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭6:2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Light shed on Morning Glory leaves. 
July 2022
Polk County, Mo

“But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.”    
  1 Thessalonians 5:8

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