Faith is ...

A popular cartoon series a few years back featured a boy and a girl under the title "LOVE IS..."  and then it would have underneath something witty like, "Giving her a single red rose for no reason."  There were many versions of what Love Is. Like love, faith has many aspects to consider. The writer of Hebrews wrote that "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."  We often struggle with our faith, to know what it is and trying to find ways of expressing it. To find faith is to struggle with life, its meaning, and our relationship with God.

Often our faith moments that should be high points disappoint us. We don’t live up to our own self-image, let alone meet what others want from us. Expectations and reality conflict.  

Quick & Slow?

James 1:19  "You must understand this, my beloved, let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger."

Our time is our life and yet we spend so much of it focused on things that sap our energy and crush our spirits. So many people only half listen to what others are saying and thinking that we have hearing something we disagree with we lash out. Doing that we are slow to listen and quick to react.

In doing so we lose life's many blessings that slip by unnoticed as our anger clouds our vision and our hearing.  Every moment of our lives are precious gifts that need to be savored and enjoyed. To waste them in needless anger robs us of love, relationships and joy. Taking the time to really listen to those around us is worth the effort and may reveal some wonderful blessings.

Be Quick to Listen! Be Slow to anger! Be even slower to speak out! When you do speak make your first words a positive affirmation of the person you are with then offer a corrections if needed and end with another positive word of praise. God gave us two ears and one tongue so listen twice as much as you speak.