“It (love) is not irritable.” 1 Corinthians 13:6
Girls, I feel like we keep getting into deeper waters but the more I talk to you in person, the more I see this is what you want. You have no idea how much that excites me. You want to know TRUTH from the Word of God!
Buckle up, we are travelling on some bumpy terrain today but we are rooted and grounded in the Word of Christ so we can go deep and ask the Holy Spirit to guide us.
God tells us in his Word, that love is not irritable. Another version tells us love is not provoked.
According to dictionary.com, irritable means easily annoyed or bothered, and it implies cross or snappish.
Girls, are you easily irritated when your friends don’t message you back right away, when you have to babysit your siblings, when your parents ask you to do chores to help out, when you don’t get what you want when you want it? Ouch. This isn’t easy stuff, but let’s keep going.
Girls, the culture and world we live in has sent you a message whether you realize it or not, through advertising, shows, music, social media, etc. that being easily irritable is just how tween/teens are so you may feel like you have a right to be this way or there’s nothing you can do about it.
Girls, remember we want the Truth. Remember, living in a way that the Bible calls us to live is impossible without the Holy Spirit’s help, but we desperately want to live this way. Jesus says, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32
We will all become irritated from time to time, but I would encourage you to ask the Lord to search you and know you and show you if you live a lifestyle of being easily irritated? In other words, is being easily irritated your norm? What would those closest to you say about you?
Being easily irritated is such the norm in our world today that’s why as Christ-followers, when we are easily irritated, we have to confess our sin, repent, and ask God to change us and slowly he will, friends! Remember girls, Romans 8:1 tells us, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.”
And girls, when he shows you things in you that are not Christ-like, he does this in his kindness and his love. Romans 2:4 tells us, “It’s God’s kindness that leads us to repentance.”
Girls, for me personally it’s been hard to see the things in me that don’t reflect Christ and his character. Let me tell you there’s been a lot. Even though it’s been hard, it’s also been so good because many of the things he’s shown me, I didn’t even know were there or realizing I was doing. Did you know that God knows us better than we know ourselves. That’s crazy isn’t it.
I am incredibly thankful God shows me those things and disciplines me in his perfect love. Proverbs 3:12, tells us, “For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.” Oh dear ones, he has to show us so he can change us and he will, because Philippians 1:6 tells us that, “I am confident of this, he who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.”
Girls this is him changing us to reflect Jesus more. Soak this scripture in! “And we all who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18
I think it’s important for us to remember, we still have human limitations. It took me a long, long to learn this! Sometimes when we are feeling more easily irritated, we may need a small break. There is nothing wrong with this. For a matter of fact, this will help us to take care of ourselves and love others well and that’s what we want! We may need to remove ourselves from the situation, to breathe, pray, journal, and rest. This helps us to keep our mind and heart aligned with God’s and seek him instead of just trying to power through the situation in your limited strength.
Girls, as we seek the Lord, he will change us on the inside and will also give us strategies to live in this world with our struggles and challenges so that we can truly love the people around us, even those who are hardest to love. How cool is that!