I woke up late the other morning, and before my eyes fully opened, I was already condemning myself for not being up earlier, for not having my “quiet time” of prayer, and, of course, for not reading my Bible. If you’ve been a believer for any amount of time, you are well familiar with the list of religious activities we shame ourselves with, and mine is the same. As I was going through my Mea Culpa with Papa God, it suddenly struck me that God is patient. Moreover, I realized that Papa God is patient with me and that it’s not Him who’s frustrated with me; it’s me who’s frustrated with me. How do I know this? The children’s song says, “The Bible tells me so.”
1 John 4:8 says, “God is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:4&5 clearly states, “Love is patient and kind… it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” Therefore, if God is love, He must be patient and kind to us. He’s also not trying to bully us into behavior modification, and He doesn’t get mad at us when we oversleep and miss our quiet time. Best of all, He’s not in the scorekeeping business of all our failures because He is not making a list to find out if we’ve been naughty or nice. He keeps no record of wrongs! According to God’s definition of love, His love is non-judgmental, accepting us as we are. WOW! That’s not what you hear in most churches on Sunday!
The thought that “God is patient” hit me like a bullseye in the center of my heart. My aha was that Papa God is patient with everything I am not. And not my kind of patient, which has an expiration date that depends on my mood and what kind of day I’ve had, but His kind of patience, which “endures forever” (Psalm 136). This enduring patience, along with His kindness and lack of anger, is a truth that should thrill us all!
Most of my clients struggle with the fear that God is displeased with them and they are on the verge of damnation. But when we allow Jesus, the exact representation of God in human form (Hebrews 1:3), to be the lens through which we view our Heavenly Father, we see a different God. A God who is persistently kind. A God who befriends sinners and treasures tax collectors and prostitutes. In the words of Jesus, “Come to me all who are weary…learn my ways, and you’ll discover that I’m gentle, humble, and easy to please (Matthew 11:28-30 TPT)”.
God is easy to please. He is kind. Persistently patient, and kind. I’m learning this in a place where my religious performance is lacking. And I believe it. Not because it benefits me (I like a checklist so I can gauge how I’m doing, there’s no need for faith in that), but because, in my gut, I know it to be Jesus’s truth.
I needed to meet His love, kindness, and patience in this place where I feel my deficiencies. Frankly, it triggers fear when I don’t perform my self-created religious duties. Yet, I’m learning more about His goodness in this place where I can’t get it together. Here, in my failures, I discover His love, kindness, and patience. This revelation of Him empowers me to overcome my self-doubt, and I realize it’s not about my performance keeping me with Him, but His love and grace holding on to me.
This makes me think of what David said in Psalm 139: “Where can I go to flee from your presence… If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” The enemy can tell us all day long that Papa God is mad and ready to toss us into the fiery furnace, but it’s a lie. That slimy snake has no power or sway over us; all he has is bluff and bluster. Love has rescued us. Our story was written before the beginning of time in the blood of Christ.
No matter what slump you may find yourself in, no matter how much you think God is disappointed or angry, remember, you are glorious. Resplendent in Christ! There is no condemnation because He lives inside you, whether you feel it or not. You are not rental property, and Jesus doesn’t move in and out. He is always with you and will never leave you or forsake you. That is the truth, and let that truth be more prominent than what you feel, and let it calm your worried heart. And always remember, He is patient and kind to you, and not keeping a record of your wrongs!
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