C.A. Phillips – Page 2 – NorthStar Church Blog

Digging Deeper – A Question for the Ages

C.A. Phillips on August 2, 2024

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” ⁶And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

Luke 17:5-6 (ESV)

A QUESTION FOR THE AGES

As I read the scripture above, I sit in silence, wrestling with this exchange. The Twelve have been with Jesus for a couple of years. They’ve witnessed more miracles than can be recorded; they’ve had a front-row seat in a Master Class in Ministry 101 from the greatest Instructor ever to walk the earth. A few even saw Jesus in His purest form as He was transfigured before them on the mountain. And yet, it seems true faith eludes them.

So, I ask myself, “If the guys who spent three years with Jesus are imploring Him to increase their faith, what hope is there for me?”

At the same time, another thought occurs to me: if these guys were that close to Jesus and “didn’t get it,” there may be hope for me yet!

All believers struggle with faith. ALL of us. And I truly believe that we all want to increase our faith! We want to believe – just like Abraham did! So, the question is this: How Can I Increase My Faith?

There’s no easy answer, but here is some food for thought:

It Begins with the Gospel
“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17 (ESV)
We first gain faith through hearing the Good News about Jesus, and that message is most clearly found in the Word of God.
Faith (Belief) Alone is Incomplete – It Must Involve Action
“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” James 2:14-17 (ESV)
Adversity is a Blessing – Our Faith Must Be Tested
“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” James 1:2-4 (NLT)
Faith’s Greatest Partner is Prayer
“Never stop praying.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NLT)
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.” Philippians 4:6 (NLT)
First, prayer is critical because Jesus modeled it. He often withdrew to pray and got up very early in the morning to spend time alone with the Father. We can only grow in our relationship with the Lord by spending time with Him.
Faith Grows in Community with Others
“And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near.” Hebrews 10:25 (NLT)
We are not designed to live in isolation. Your faith grows when you dig into God’s word with other believers. Remember, as Rick Warren opens The Purpose-Driven Life: It’s not about you! Your faith can build others up, and vice versa.

C.A. Phillips serves as Communications Pastor and Director of Men’s Groups at NorthStar Church. He is a graduate of the Henry W. Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia, and he loves the Dawgs and the Atlanta Braves. He has two (grown) boys and lives in Kennesaw with his wife, Amy, and their German Shepherd, Abby.

Digging Deeper – Leading a Legacy of Faith

C.A. Phillips on August 1, 2024

²The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt, but do as I tell you. ³Live here as a foreigner in this land, and I will be with you and bless you. I hereby confirm that I will give all these lands to you and your descendants, just as I solemnly promised Abraham, your father. ⁴I will cause your descendants to become as numerous as the stars of the sky, and I will give them all these lands. And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed. ⁵I will do this because Abraham listened to me and obeyed all my requirements, commands, decrees, and instructions.”

Genesis 26:2-5 (NLT)

LEADING A LEGACY OF FAITH

We have explored much of Abraham’s life these past several weeks, and we can agree that his absolute confidence in the Lord’s sovereignty is what separated him as the man whose faith God credited as righteousness. He very well could have been the inspiration for Journey’s hit, “Don’t Stop Believin’.”

Abraham’s faith – great as it was – could have ended when he perished at the ripe old age of 175. However, it lived on (and on and on and on… a la Steve Perry). How so? Because he lived – and believed – in such a way that it profoundly influenced his son, Isaac. He passed his faith baton, and Isaac continued to run with it in hand.

Isaac had seen God come through plenty on his own, no doubt. After all, he was at least a teenager when God spared him from death by his father’s hand on the mountain, providing the ram for the sacrifice. He also received God’s blessing through his father’s efforts in securing a bride for him – Rebekah, who was not only beautiful but would bear him two sons of his own after being barren for the first 20 years of their marriage.

Incredibly – by God’s providence – Abraham’s legacy lives on even today. Obviously, Abraham could not have seen thousands of years into the future. But, as we discussed earlier this week, he had absolute confidence in the covenant God had made with him – that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. And it’s the same promise God gave Isaac – because “Abraham listened… and obeyed.”

Let’s personalize this for a moment. If you are a parent, how are you doing in this area? Are you living your life with purpose and intentionality in a way that is attractive to your kids? Ask yourself two questions: (1) If I was to leave this earth today, what would my legacy be? (2) What legacy do I hope to leave?

If there’s a gap between those two responses, you have some work ahead of you. The good news is that you still have time while you are breathing to change the course of history.

As Stephen Covey shared in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, begin with the end in mind. It’s often by looking ahead to our preferred future – or our kids’ futures – that we glean wisdom and live our best life.

Digging Deeper – Tested Faith Leads to Stronger Faith

C.A. Phillips on July 31, 2024

17 It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, 18 even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.” 19 Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead.

Hebrews 11:17-19 (NLT)

TESTED FAITH LEADS TO STRONGER FAITH

We looked yesterday at the chinks in Abram’s armor that led to some detours for him and Sarai as they awaited God’s promised son. But we learned that God’s ultimate goal for Abraham was to build his faith muscles by showing Himself trustworthy. And it’s His primary goal for us as well. Faith trumps everything else in God’s economy.

So, if faith is paramount, how do we attain it?

The author of Hebrews defined faith. In fact, it’s the only place we can find a definition of faith in Scripture:

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 (ESV)

Read that a few times. Marinate on it. Assurance and conviction – these are not arbitrary words. Here’s what the footnote says in my study Bible:

“The author indicates that biblical faith is not vague hope grounded in imaginary, wishful thinking. Instead, faith is a settled confidence that something in the future – something that is not yet seen but has been promised by God – will actually come to pass because God will bring it about.”

I love that explanation. But it doesn’t make faith any easier just to know what it means. The only thing that makes it easier is for God to test it. Repeatedly.

God has a track record. Sure, we can read all about it and see how He delivered time and again in the lives of some of the greatest men and women in Scripture: David, Daniel, Esther, Nehemiah, Joseph, and Paul. But we don’t develop faith by reading about it. My faith only develops by living it out, particularly amid challenging circumstances.

God tested Abraham’s faith by asking him to sacrifice Isaac. Yes, the same (and only) son he and Sarah waited 25 years for! Yet, Abraham was obedient. How could he possibly have known that God would spare Isaac? Because over the course of more than a century, Abraham had seen God come through in countless ways. He didn’t know exactly how it would play out, but he knew God wasn’t a liar. And, if God had promised that Abraham’s descendants would be more numerous than the stars, Isaac would live.

Faith isn’t knowing exactly how things are going to work out. It’s not seeing the finished product. It’s trusting the One who holds you in the palm of His hand. It begins with trusting Him with your heart. It grows as we are refined through adversity, leaning on Him when we can’t see what lies ahead.

Digging Deeper – Faith of the Flawed

C.A. Phillips on July 30, 2024

So Sarai said to Abram, “The Lord has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her.” And Abram agreed with Sarai’s proposal.

Genesis 16:2 (NLT)

FAITH OF THE FLAWED

We’ve reached the end of Abraham’s story – and boy, did he live a full 175 years! When surveying the incredible ways God worked in and through him, it seems so strange looking back on the misstep he and Sarai made in taking God’s promise into their own hands. Don’t you think Abram was elated that his story didn’t end with the foolish decision they made in attempting to short-cut God’s plan?

We have the benefit of knowing how God came through time after time when we read the stories of His faithfulness. We know Abram will become Abraham and will have a son at the age of 100. But at the age of 75, when God made this covenant with him, Abram had no idea he’d have to wait 25 years for the birth of Isaac! He had to learn to trust, just like we do!

And while Abraham and Sarah had to deal with the ramifications of their sin (and those consequences are still felt today), it’s comforting to know that despite this egregious error in judgment, God still delivered, and He also still used Abraham. In fact, Abraham is regarded as the ultimate Hero of the Faith! Not only do we see this unfold throughout his story outlined in Genesis, but also throughout the New Testament, as the Apostle Paul and the writer of Hebrews emphasize his belief over his actions!

“Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this, he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous.” Romans 4:20-22 (NLT)

Abraham did some outlandish things that give us pause. He was deceitful at times, and he tried to bargain with God by using God’s goodness “against Him” to spare lives. But God, being God, saw past this. Instead of hammering Abraham about his mistakes, the Lord commends him for his faith – his willingness to go “all in” on the promises to come – most of which he would never see for himself!

Just like Abraham, you and I are flawed. Sin does that. We make some really poor decisions, even some catastrophic ones. But, also like Abraham, we have the opportunity to put our faith in the One who holds everything in His hands! In the end, we are not given eternal life based on what we did right or did wrong. It’s based on one thing: whether we have accepted Jesus as God’s Son and believe He died and rose again to give us new life!

We’ll never have perfect faith. That’s why we must place our faith in the Perfect One!

Digging Deeper – Love Obeys

C.A. Phillips on July 29, 2024

It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.

Hebrews 11:8 (NLT)

LOVE OBEYS

Moms and dads out there know this well: parenting is tough! So much of our time as parents in those early years is spent being “the bad guy.” In fact, if we’re doing our job well, our kids won’t be fooled into thinking we are their friends as they grow up.

My wise friend and former co-worker, Eddie Bishop, shared the key to being a great parent many years ago. He said, “I told my kids when they were growing up that I was not their friend. Instead, I wanted to parent in such a way that I’d want to be their friend later, when they were adults.”

Good parents understand the painful and arduous process of laying the necessary groundwork for kids to grow and develop into respectful, God-honoring young men and women. And the most important quality – the one moms and dads emphasize above all others – is obedience. At the end of the day, parents want kids to do as they are asked (or told).

We, as believers, take that cue from Jesus, who stated plainly on many occasions where he stands on this topic:

“Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them… All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me.” John 14:21, 23-24 (NLT)

What does obedience demonstrate? Love. Not belief. Not intentions. Not even “being nice.” Obedience trumps everything. But which commandments is Jesus referring to? Sure, you can point to the Covenant handed down through Moses to God’s people (the Ten Commandments); but Jesus raises the bar further and makes it personal when talking to his 12 closest friends:

“This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.” John 15:12 (NLT)

Jesus was obedient to the point of death on the cross. Why? His love for God the Father, and his love for his friends (and for you and me). Jesus said these are the two greatest commandments!

Obedience isn’t easy. It requires faith and trust, which can only be developed through a relationship. If you’re finding obedience is not central to your walk with the Lord, my prayer for you is that you’ll make some time to spend with Him today to have a real conversation. Lay it all at His feet. The more time you spend with Him, the more you’ll love Him. And your obedience will follow!

The Danger of Empty Promises

C.A. Phillips on June 26, 2024

Broken promises
are worse than rain clouds
that don’t bring rain.

Proverbs 25:14 (CEV)

THE DANGER OF EMPTY PROMISES

We were in the quarterfinals of the 13U tournament and on the verge of a major upset victory over a team who were favorites to win the whole thing. Our team was smaller, but we were gritty. We had threatened to take the lead earlier in the game, when the oppsing coach brought in the team’s closer to fend off our rally.

But, the rally continued, and we started thumping their hard-throwing righty. Seriously, the kid was throwing in the 80’s – which looked like 100 from only 54 feet away! Our guys didn’t flinch, and we started smoking singles and doubles in the gaps. Before we knew it, we had a one-run lead!

We were the visiting team, and with only a few minutes left in the game, it was looking like we’d pull off the upset if we could hold them on defense. We got the first out quickly on a weak grounder to third. The next batter struck out. Two down! The next batter hit a hard grounder up the middle, but our second baseman was shaded in that direction, and made the stop. I could taste victory as he made the throw to first base. But, instead of taking his time, he rushed the throw and didn’t shuffle his feet and step towards the target. The result was a tough in-between hop that handcuffed the first baseman, who was unable to hang on to it. Safe.

Instead of a huge win, the inning continued. To make a long story short, that runner stole second, then scored on a single to tie the game. We managed to get out of the inning without any further damage, and we were headed for extra innings. I was hot.

As the second baseman came off the field, I got in his face and said, “You’re sitting next inning!”

“But Coach,” he replied, “you have always said that you’d never take us out of a game if we made a physical error. Only if we kept making mental mistakes!”

I was stopped cold. He was right, and I had a choice to make. I could allow my emotions to get the best of me and remove him from the game. Or, I could do the right thing and own up to what I had always told my players.

Honestly, I believe the Holy Spirit intervened here. It was like I completely came to my senses and realized what could happen if I chose to take him out of the game.

So, instead of using my authority to put him in his place, I swallowed hard and said, “You’re right. I did say that, and I’m sorry. You’re still in the game.”

We ended up losing 7-6 in extra innings. It hurt to lose, especially when we had the opportunity to claim the victory. But, the hurt could have been far worse if I had followed through with taking the player out of the game. I would have broken my word – not only to him, but to the entire team! The damage would have been far more catastrophic than a painful and disappointing loss.

I’m so glad Alex (the second baseman) was bold enough to speak out! It would have been easy to just accept the punishment of making an error and not confronting the coach and his broken promise.

Coaches (and parents) – please heed this warning! Eyes are on you, and ears are listening! Treat your words seriously, and have the integrity to live up to the promises you make. It’s much more than a baseball game that is at stake!

C.A. Phillips has served on staff at NorthStar Church since 2004, and has more than 35 years of baseball experience as a player, coach, and umpire. He and his wife, Amy, have two adult sons and live in Kennesaw with their German Shepherd, Abby.

What Does that Cross Mean, Really?

C.A. Phillips on May 22, 2024

⁷People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, ⁸but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. ¹⁰And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!

James 3:7-10 (NLT)

WHAT DOES THAT CROSS MEAN, REALLY?

I was umpiring a Championship game for the 18U Division at a local park last week, when I noticed that several players on one of the teams had drawn crosses on their cheeks in eye black. I often see eye black used for a variety of facial graphics, including one kid they called “Robin,” who had so much of it painted on around his eyes that it looked like he was wearing a mask. Most of the time with these teens, it’s intended to make them look fierce and intimidating – like war paint. So, I was pleasantly surprised to see the crosses.

That is, until it became evident that the team was not going to win the game after unraveling on the mound and in the field late in the game. It was then that I heard these same kids – ones wearing the cross of Christ on their cheeks – begin to deride teammates with profanity that would make a sailor blush. One player screamed, “You’re so (bleeping) awful!” to his left fielder after that player booted a ball. A different player with the cross-cheeks exclaimed an F-bomb after grounding out to lead off the next inning.

Honestly, I’d be upset at the kids for talking this way whether or not they had crosses painted on. But, the cross made it worse. I actually felt a bit of sadness for the other kids who didn’t have crosses painted on. Who knows, they could know Jesus. But, for those who don’t – what do you think their collective impression of these self-proclaimed “Christians” was?

Whether you paint eye black on your face, have a Jesus fish on your car, have a WWJD bracelet on your wrist, or wear a necklace with a cross pendant, you should know that people do pay attention! I’m not saying you won’t mess up – we all will. But, we’ve got to stop wearing the cross as a fashion statement or just as a label that we’re “saved.” When we identify with Christ, we need to try to reflect his image in ALL areas of our lives: our speech, our attitude, our behavior, our work ethic, and especially our heart for lost people who need Jesus!

Otherwise, just leave the eye black in your bag.

Digging Deeper – The Game Goes On (For Now)

C.A. Phillips on May 17, 2024

8 But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. 9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

2 Peter 3:8-9 (NLT)

THE GAME GOES ON (FOR NOW)

I’ve now completed the baseball life cycle: I was called out and safe by umpires as a player, I yelled at umpires as a coach, and I am now getting my due as an umpire. And with all this talk of anger, patience, and long-suffering this week, I’d be remiss if I didn’t share a relevant umpire story on the matter.

It was just a couple weeks ago. I was behind the plate for a 16U rec game at a local park. In the bottom of the first inning, I had to call “time” and walk out to the mound to speak with the pitcher. He was upset because I wasn’t calling pitches “strikes” to his liking. He let me know this through facial expressions, shaking his head, and waving his arms in protest.

“I don’t expect you to agree with every call I make,” I said. “But you’re not going to continue to act this way when I make a call you don’t agree with. If you don’t like it, that’s fine. But you need to exercise some self-discipline and keep it to yourself. This is a warning.”

Later in the inning, with a 2-2 count on the hitter, the catcher tried to frame what he believed should have been Strike Three. The problem was that it was a foot off the plate and in the other batter’s box. The pitch hit the mitt, and he took a couple steps toward the dugout and was about to roll the ball out the mound, thinking the inning was over. Not hearing anything from me, he looked back over his shoulder.

“Where are you going?” I asked. “Don’t try to pull that stuff with me. Especially on a pitch that far off the plate.”

“I thought it was a strike,” he replied.

“You thought THAT was a strike!?!?” I exclaimed. I then showed him with my foot where the pitch was. “It was way out here in the other batter’s box.”

The catcher didn’t like that I was giving him the business and started mouthing off. I called his coach out and explained what was happening, and that I was doing all I could to keep his catcher in the game. We eventually continued and finished the inning. This was only the beginning.

The next inning, the same pitcher and catcher were out there again for this team. Same thing was happening – pitches missing inside or outside, between 6-12 inches off the plate. The catcher certainly wasn’t helping, as he held the pitch for 2-3 seconds each time.

Finally, one of the assistant coaches had seen enough. “Come on, Blue. You’ve got to give him something!”

I called “time” and held up my hand. “We are NOT arguing balls and strikes. Especially when they are a foot off the plate and in the other batter’s box!”

The assistant coach chimed in again, and once more I stated sternly that we would not be arguing balls and strikes. The head coach then replied, “Well, SOMEONE needs to!”

As you may suspect that coach was ejected from the game. And it only got uglier from there. More arguments, more unkind words from coaches on one team towards parents from the other. It was snow-balling, and I was doing all I could to avoid a melee.

One parent (on the well-behaved team) asked, “Why don’t you just end the game? This is miserable for everyone!”

I replied, “The only reason I haven’t ended the game is for the kids who are doing the right thing out here. They deserve an opportunity to play.”

Some of us wonder the same thing about God: why hasn’t He just ended this “game”? With all the misery, tragedy, and evil in the world, it’s a valid question. On that note, let’s revisit our verse of the day from 2 Peter 3:8-9.

Time as we experience it here and now is not the same as how God views it or experiences it. And, there’s one reason why He is patient with humanity in Jesus’ second coming: He wants everyone to come to know Him!

When you see and feel the pain of this world, remember His plan is perfect, as well as His timing. His love for us all keeps the gates of heaven open and provides an opportunity for the lost to find their way Home!

Digging Deeper – One Antidote to Impatience

C.A. Phillips on May 16, 2024

12 and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us…

14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins

Matthew 6:12, 14-15 (NLT)

ONE ANTIDOTE TO IMPATIENCE

We’ve been wrestling with patience and long-suffering this week, and it occurred to me that we often endure these epic struggles far longer than God ever intends. The culprit: unforgiveness.

I journeyed through this topic with my men’s small group a couple years ago, and it was a doozie. Using R.T. Kendall’s Total Forgiveness as our guide, we clashed head-on with this universal struggle and had some memorable – and occasionally fiery – exchanges along the way. Some guys in the group had been dealing with deep hurt that had held them captive for decades. Others carried bitterness and resentment with them because of excruciating pain they had endured as a result of another’s choices.

Kendall shared candidly in his book that he sought the counsel of a trusted friend when he, too, was amid a trial. He confided in someone far removed from the situation – someone who lived in another country, in fact. Hoping to draw a sympathetic ear, Kendall shared the details with his friend.

“Is that all?” the friend asked.

“Yes, that’s it,” Kendall replied.

“You must totally forgive them,” the friend stated.

“I can’t,” said Kendall.

“You can, and you must,” the friend insisted.

Perhaps you get a bit agitated when you read this exchange. After all, Kendall had been wronged and was grieving over it. Certainly, he is justified in his bitterness and resentment!

In the flesh? Absolutely. As a follower of Jesus Christ – quite the contrary!

The Lord’s Prayer even addresses this. Perhaps you recite it from rote memory, and you miss the clear message Jesus shared on this very issue. Take another moment to read the words above from Matthew 6:12, 14-15.

We are asking God to forgive our sins AS WE FORGIVE others’ sins against us! And, if that isn’t enough, Jesus says our Heavenly Father will forgive us to the extent we choose to offer forgiveness to others. It goes both ways!

Not to be confused, Jesus isn’t talking about revoking our salvation if we don’t forgive. What he is saying, however, is that our relationship with God will be broken if we don’t offer forgiveness. Likewise, our relationship with Him is restored when we choose to forgive and place it at His feet.

Does forgiveness always remove the hurt? Of course not. But it prevents us from compounding that hurt by holding ourselves hostage through bitterness, rage, and resentment.

Kendall shares, “Having been on both sides, I can tell you: the peace is better; the bitterness isn’t worth it.”

When we place it in God’s hands, and make the conscious (yet difficult) decision to forgive, we are set free!

Digging Deeper – Love and Long-Suffering Go Hand-in-Hand

C.A. Phillips on May 15, 2024

Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.

Ephesians 4:2 (NLT)

LOVE AND LONG-SUFFERING GO HAND-IN-HAND

There are two different types of patience spoken about in Scripture. One is the patience needed in a season of waiting. The other is equally challenging: when we have had our fill of someone’s attitude or behavior; or, in our righteous indignation our fuse has neared its end. This is known as long-suffering.

Webster’s Dictionary defines long-suffering this way: “patiently enduring lasting offense or hardship.”

In the Bible, long-suffering is comprised of two Greek words meaning “long” and “temper.” The Lord is often described as being long-suffering in Scripture, particularly in the Old Testament. Time and again, we see His people (Israel) falling into a vicious cycle: walking with God > pulling away from God > God’s hand of blessing being removed > hardship > repentance > God’s mercy and compassion (REPEAT).

The Lord is a self-proclaimed jealous God! He has our very best in mind, and when we stray, it hurts Him deeply. He will discipline us and allow painful consequences to re-direct our paths, but in his loving-kindness, He will eventually comfort us and restore us if we turn to Him.

If you have ever weathered a storm of life in which a loved one has made a series of poor choices, you know exactly how brutal long-suffering can be. We want so desperately for our family member or friend to get on a healthy path – one with direction, joy, and meaning – one with God at the helm! In the meantime, however, we suffer, not knowing when the pain will end, and if this person will ever make a lasting change.

So, what’s our response in the interim? To love them. As the Apostle Paul wrote in the scripture above, we are to “be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.” But we’ve got to take it a step further and ask this question: Why is love the proper response?

In a different letter – one he wrote to the Church at Colossae – Paul explains why we must choose love over anger:

Make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. Colossians 3:13-14 (NLT)

It can be tough to reconcile this, but you’re not excusing someone’s actions by loving them! But you are letting them know that love is more powerful than whatever has led them to this difficulty. And, as we read in yet another of Paul’s letters: love never fails.