Louis Locke
I was privileged to do two weddings last weekend. The second one was in Genoa at 4 p.m., outdoors in 103-degree temperature. It was very hot but also very meaningful.
During the ceremony, I was talking with the couple about love and the description of love found in 1Corinthians 13. It says, “Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy or boast, is not easily angered and it is not irritable or resentful,” etc. You are probably familiar with this great list.
It is challenging to read biblical attributes of love while doing a bit of on-the-spot self-reflection. I rarely say, “I’ve got this,” but more often say, “Wow! Look at all those areas of character that need to be built!” I reassured them that life is a growing process and God is committed to work in our lives, as we yield to him, to grow the good fruit. Yes, love is patient and love is kind, I’m not, but I want to grow in that, and I will with God’s help.
God works in all kinds of circumstances to help us grow. In fact, have you ever had the kind of day where you hit every green light? It’s like, I must be in the will of God, because I hit every green light! It was last weekend when I was on my way to the second wedding, I must’ve been out of God’s will because I hit every red light. I mean long red lights, not the normal red light. The first one was like, oh no, this is one of those long, long ones. OK, we got a little margin here. Next light. Red. Long red. I started to get impatient. You know how you can begin to actually “feel” the presence of impatience beginning to surface. Oh no, what is going on here?
I learned a long time ago it’s not necessarily the will of God that everything goes good in your life. A lot of times people say, man everything is just working out so cool, it must be the will of God. But we have learned that it’s not necessarily true. It can be the will of God for things not to go well in your life so that we have the opportunity to grow through difficult times.
God never promises everything’s going to be good and go well, but he does promise, “that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.” Oh yes, did I mention that there are times that I am slightly impatient?
Yes, that’s why I have memorized this scripture from James 1:2-4: “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”
Blessings as we continue to grow in Christ.
Louis J. Locke is founding pastor at Carson City Foursquare Church.