2 Thessalonians 3:5 -- On Love and Patience

"And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ." 2 Thessalonians 3:5 I like this verse because it recommends two things that can make a huge difference in our lives: First, love. If we work on having the love of God in our lives, our perspective will change and we will look at people differently... more kindly, with more forgiveness, and more willingness to help and serve. Even if we aren't feeling particulary loving towards others for our own part, it is *God's* love that can infuse us and help us to see a new and better perspective. Second, patience. I think well over half of the problems in my life would have been dramatically easier to overcome if I had injected a little bit more patience into the process. Hopefully most of you are already a little better at this than I am, but I imagine it is, at least in part, a problem for all of us. This also brings to mind the parable of the ten virgins... that we have to be sure to maintain that oil of testimony as we wait. Can't just expect the time to be short. Today, let's work on love and patience, and let's also pray for help with both of those things. If we sincerely try, God will bless us with a measure of both of these things that we can build on, and I think we will see a difference (although, to the last point, it may not be immediate, so hang in there). :)