on the inside-

There are times when God makes me keenly aware that he continues to work, relentlessly, graciously-on the inside. . .

I struggled recently to love someone-
I appeared loving enough on the outside, no harsh words, no retaliation, no cool stares, but resentment bubbled inside me-and that is misery, indeed.

So one night, alone with John, I pleaded, " I am absolutely unloving and selfish, help me!"

His spoke good encouragement and I'm grateful- but the next day, God confronted me on the inside through his Word:

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, compassionate hearts, kindness, 

humility, meekness and patience, bearing with one another and,

if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other. . ."

(Colossians 3:12,13)

So- I told John, "Next time this happens (and it will), tell me this Scripture and exhort me to put on a compassionate heart and to bear. . ."

The law of Christ is the law of bearing (Galatians 6:2). The brother is a burden to the Christian precisely because he is a Christian; for the pagan the other person never becomes a burden at all; he simply sidesteps every burden that others may impose upon him. . . The Christian must bear the burden of a brother-he must suffer and endure the brother.  The law of Christ has been fulfilled at the cross. . .I can (and I must) bear with others. (Life Together, Bonhoeffer.)