I don’t know about you, but often for me, in seasons of weariness, stretching or overcoming, I find myself camping in a couple of Bible verses and staying there until the Spirit leads me on. I’m grateful for His leading, inviting me to focus and meditate and be at rest in the midst of emotional turbulence.
The Bible has a lot to say about love, and all of it’s good. 1 Corinthians 13 is perhaps the most recognizable guide post, but the Word is filled with wisdom regarding love and its practical application. It’s there, waiting to offer me rest. But I’m just going to be honest: when I’m feeling weary, love is difficult for me. I tend to turn to self-preservation, or the need to protect loved ones who are in pain, rather than looking beyond current situations and into the truth that love is always the solution. Always. Without exception.
The best word to describe my internal climate right now is “weary”. And I have a feeling that some of you reading this would say the same. And so, in the midst of this weariness, I have found myself “stuck” in the first 4 verses of Ephesians 4,
“Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.”
And in reading, I am confronted with a definition of love that holds the solution to my weariness: love makes allowances for each other’s faults. It doesn’t self-preserve, it doesn’t create distance when faults emerge, it doesn’t keep a record of wrongs; it allows faults. And, taking it even further, love makes a binding effort to stay united in peace in the midst of those faults!
So, to you, Weary Reader, I invite you to join me in exchanging your current battle for rest, self-preservation for love, fear for peace. Lets, rather, direct our effort toward keeping ourselves united through making allowances for one another’s faults.
Amanda Brown is a resident of Makanda, Illinois where she shares her home with her husband, Zeek, and their two beloved doggos. Originally from Wisconsin, Amanda moved to Cairo, Illinois after her college graduation in 2010, and has been in Southern Illinois since. Her husband, also a transplant to Southern Illinois (originally from Florida), shares her passion to dig deep into and celebrate what the Lord is doing in this region and they are happy to call Southern Illinois home. Amanda was healed of cancer as a small child, after originally being given only three days to live. She grew up knowing the power of the Holy Spirit because of this miracle, and learning to walk in communion with God. During her time in Cairo, Amanda experienced the life altering gift of community and authenticity, which developed a passion within her to see people know their dynamic identity in Christ and live confident, free lives. She is equally devoted to racial reconciliation and unity in the body of Christ. Amanda believes that authenticity and laughter are two of Heaven’s best gifts, and can often be found prattling on and giggling about the difficulties of being an adult over a cup of good coffee.
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