When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me-until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end.

Psalms 73:16-17

Have you ever been overjoyed at the prospect of working through a problem and growing from it? Or do you tend to be like me, overwhelmed by the problem and oblivious to the fact that God can help solve it? Expecting a life without problems will leave us continually bitter and disappointed. Earthly existence means earthly problems-hopefully  with breathing spells in between.

Our job is to eliminate, through healthy choices, as many problems as possible. How? One way is to ask, as problems come into our lives, “What was my part in letting this problem happen?” We can confess the answers to God and then learn from them the next time we encounter a similar circumstance. We can confront the problem and do everything we can to solve it.

We can also claim God’s promises. God didn’t say our lives would be easy, but He did say that He would be with us through all of life’s storms.

Remember the story of the shipwreck in Acts 27? The ship didn’t make it, but the passengers made it safely to shore. Sometimes, in our lives, our “ships” will also be wrecked, but God will guide us safely to the shores of solutions, growth, meaning, and eventually heaven itself.

Thought:  God’s hand is stretched out for me to hold onto. I will take it today.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Galations 5:22-23

The fruit of the Spirit is…love. Can I see beyond myself, my needs, and my feelings in our relationship?”…joy.”Are there times of laughter, lightness, and fun?

“…peace.” Is there a quietness and honesty in my own soul? Is there the security that even in the midst of conflict we are on each other’s team?

“…longsuffering.” Am I open to hearing my partner’s point of view? Can I accept our differences without being threatened?

“…kindness.” Do I direct kind words and actions toward my partner and hold him in high regard both publicly and privately?

“…goodness.” Am I attempting to be God’s love connection to my partner?

“…faithfulness.” Am I committed to this relationship? Do I avoid all appearance of evil?

“…gentleness.” Do I treat him with respect? Am I a good listener and an affectionate, sensitive lover?

“…self-control.” Am I honest with myself and my mate? Am I taking responsibility for what is mine in this relationship?

Prayer:  Lord, thank you for the gift of your unconditional acceptance and love even while I am in the process.