Kindness is not without its rocks ahead. People are apt to put it down to an easy temper and seldom recognize it as the secret striving of a generous nature; whilst, on the other hand, the ill-natured get credit for all the evil they refrain from. -Honore De Balzac, novelist (1799-1850),

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.

James 1:5, 6


I think of Peter in these verses because he was so willing to step out onto the water, but for a split second he takes his eyes off the one reason he was able to walk over the waves and he began to sink.

My life is full of doubts, and I sadly admit I have been tossed about by the wind. My request for you and the hope I have for my own life is that we would live less doubt-filled lives and more faith-filled. Looking back at our past, being willing to not only acknowledge all that God has done for us, but to hold it close--especially in times of confusion and doubt, remembering always that he is faithful.

Open heart

Sometimes God gives tiny glimpses of who he is and I am so thankful that I get to be a part of it. I don’t often feel as if what’s been shared with me is something I can truly express, it’s like translation of a work of poetry from one language to another… it loses something, but I’m going to try nonetheless.

I’m reading Mountains of Spices by Hannah Hurnard, it’s quite interesting and there are several pieces of her writing the given me reason to reflect. In this book Hurnard is comparing the spices from Song of Solomon to the fruits of the Spirit, Longsuffering is the mountain of Saffron.

I have noted something in my own life lately as well as the lives of those around me—how quick we are to guard ourselves against further “wrong-doing” be it by a particular individual or by all people. Within that there is also that penchant to hash and rehash events that are clearly in the past, sometimes it is very plainly because these situations or events or arguments (whatever name you choose to give them), have not been addressed and certainly have not been resolved.

I can continue, but let me just move right in to the excerpt I want to share instead, hopefully the point will be made. Grace and Glory is a person walking with the King on the mountain.

“It was impossible for them to walk anywhere without treading on these delicate hued flowers and using them as a doormat! As soon as their feet were lifted from them, however, she noticed that the dauntless, gay little things bobbed up again at once, as fresh and uncrushed as though they had not been trodden upon.

When she remarked on this to the King he explained with another of his happy smiles that this was the characteristic of true longsuffering. It bears quite happily everything that is done against it, resents not at all being trampled under foot, and reacts to the wrongdoing of others against itself as though it had forgotten all about it! For longsuffering is really the lovely quality of forgiveness and bearing contentedly and joyfully the results of the mistakes and wrongdoing of others.”