Day 166: Your Love Does Not Boast

I’m either blind to your boasting or you don’t boast at all, because when I prayed for you about this issue on Monday, I couldn’t think of a single time since I’ve known you that you’ve boasted. Still, I prayed that God would refine your character in this area so that you can better serve him.

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Day 158: Your Love Does Not Envy (Much)

Last night, I prayed that God would form you into the kind of person who doesn’t envy so that you would be content with where God has you and with what he’s allotted you, and that you would praise him for how he’s blessed you. Although I’m impressed with your ability to be content in a variety of circumstances, all of us could stand to grow in this area.

 

Day 84: Renewing My Mind

Last night, I attempted to ingrain the characteristics of love into my mind by memorizing I Corinthians 13:4-7. Here it is, from memory (except I drew a blank on the word ‘resentful’):

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. it does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

I’m saturating my mind with a correct understanding of love, in order that I might be transformed into the kind of person from whom loving acts naturally flow (Rom. 12:2). (There’s more to transformation than this, but renewing your mind is certainly part of it.) I don’t want to commit loving acts for you through gritted teeth but from a loving heart (not that the latter is characteristic of the way I act).

 

“Love must be sincere” (Rom. 12:9).

Day 72: 24-Hour Fast for Heart Change Redux

One of my goals for 365 Acts of Love is to undergo significant heart change. I want to become a tree that produces good fruit (Mt. 7:17). In order to facilitate this, I fasted for 24 hours on Friday, praying that God would make me a more loving person. Specifically, I prayed that God would change my heart so that I possess the qualities and commit the actions that are characteristic of love:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (I Cor. 13:4-7)

If God forms me into a more loving person, this will have a positive effect on the way I treat you, and thus, on our relationship. May I consistently work toward this end.