The sermon today reminds me of a wife of a brother that had great expectations of the mens group at one time.
She noticed great changes at first and likewise had great expectations for him and us.
Until a season passed and her expectations of where her husband’s faith was did not line up with God’s.
She said to me, “He is better and more patient and compassionate, however he still has a long way to go, I feel he has reached a plateau in your group.”
At the time I knew what was happening but did not know how to relay it “gently”.
And I replied, “maybe now it is not your husband’s compassion that He is working on, maybe now, God is trying to work with you?”.
We must be equally yoked in that manner. God grows both, husband and wife together and both has to have the patience to allow the other to grow.
The rest is history, the brother to this day says that although he can never live up to the expectations of his wife, he still loves her and told me that he will never give up trying.
I can honestly say that I have learned more from him and his faith than He will ever learn from me. I learned the power of forgiveness and love to overlook the evil and to look ahead to the good that still awaits us.
At that time I was given a quote, God spoke to my heart and said, “The only reason why you cannot let go of the bad memories is because you do not have the faith to CREATE better ones.”
So that is my prayer for us all.
“4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails,” I Corinthians 13 NIV
Brotherly love and In the name of Jesus Christ in whom all things are made new,
Amen,
Ray Evangelista
