Head Scratcher — Hosea - Tuesday
Today’s Verse
1 Corinthians 13:7
Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. (NLT)
One of my (many) faults is that I am not patient with bad customer service. Recently, I needed to bite the bullet and get some reading glasses. All the ones I tried on in stores gave me headaches, so I went to the eye doctor to see what they could do. I needed to get my annual eye exam anyway, so I figured I would ask them while I was there.
The doctor gave me my contact prescription, confirmed that I needed 1.5x reading glasses, and that I needed to allow for my astigmatism as well. I took that prescription and ordered my reading glasses. About a week later, my glasses were in, and I drove to pick them up. However, I couldn’t see a thing with them on. It felt like I was looking through a magnifying glass. They were clearly the wrong prescription. I then spent the next 10 minutes being told that they were actually the correct prescription, but I would need to take my contacts out to use them. The whole situation confused and frustrated me. And after unsuccessfully explaining the dilemma, I finally got mad, asked for a refund, and walked out.
It took me 10 minutes to get to a breaking point. But to be honest, I gave up on the situation and the employee long before that. I felt like she wasn’t listening to me and simply wanted to explain why she was right and I was wrong.
But when we act the same way, God is thankfully much more patient. How often do we argue and rationalize our decisions to God? We argue that we are correct and He is wrong. We chart our own course and then blame Him when things go wrong. Yet He doesn’t storm out of our lives. He doesn’t give up on us. He is patient with us. He is there for us when we FINALLY come to our senses. And we should all be grateful for that love and patience!!
REFLECTION
Is there a person in your life that you have given up on? Instead of walking away, take an intentional step to show love. Ask God to help you love with His patience—the kind of love that never gives up and endures through every circumstance.