Today’s Encouragement is, “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” Colossians 3:12-13 ESV
Bearing with one another –
Patience! With ourselves, others, our circumstances… we need to practice patience!
“Bearing with” implies that we ain’t the easiest to get along with! We are to – bear with – each other!
Why is it that there is always that one person that gets to us, is annoying, obnoxious, mean, always some type of trouble for us? Maybe it’s just me, but it seems they are present in every situation!
Is it possible that – God allows us to meet people we must “bear with” so we have an opportunity to grow spiritually?
We don’t usually step up to this opportunity. We complain, resist, gossip about, and avoid any interaction with them at all costs.
Now, we certainly aren’t called to bear with everyone at all times! Toxic, abusive, unrepentant people can infect others with their ‘disease!’ I highly recommend avoiding them.
These folks need God’s Love, mercy, and compassion. They represent opportunities for those of us who have been forgiven, as believers in Jesus, to compassionately ‘bear with’ and demonstrate God’s grace and forgiveness. Reread the verse. “Forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”
Help us, Lord, first to see the mercy, forgiveness, and compassion You have, and still do, demonstrated to us. And then to bear with one another.
For the One
Jenn Johnson
Today’s Encouragement 