"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." 1 Cor 13:4-5 (emphasis added)
Every other Monday, I help lead a women's Bible study group at my church home. The past few months, we have been dissecting 1 Corinthians 13 ("the love passage"). The study is "Freedom is God's Love".
A couple weeks ago, my friend, Kerri Sagraves, wrote and taught a lesson on how love keeps no record of wrongs.
When reading this passage in the past, I always thought of love keeping no record of wrongs as not holding onto grievances against others and forgiving those who have wronged you. This is truth and should be applied from this scripture. However, the Lord showed me something new a couple weeks ago while studying this passage.
The past month has been stressful. Nothing beyond typical everyday stresses with work and life, but it seemed to overwhelm me. Anxiety pushed at my door and began to seep in. Anxious thoughts consumed me as fear gripped tight on the recesses of my mind. There were moments I felt paralyzed by this fear. I am not one to usually feel anxious or fearful. Therefore, this new overwhelming sense of feeling stuck intensified the fear. All what was wrong kept playing over and over again in my mind. Then the Lord intervened, pressing pause.
The pause began at a concert. During the concert, instead of enjoying the music, my mind raced with thoughts of how I should have done this or should have said that. Tormenting and torturing me with regret and fear. Then the Lord spoke in his gentle and quiet way,
"Sue, you are missing the music...Your thoughts are drowning out the music causing you to miss what is beautiful."
His words woke me from my stupor and sobered my mind. Yes, I was missing it. I could choose my thoughts. Of course, I know the importance of thoughts and choosing right thoughts and casting down wrong thoughts. However, there are times when in the middle of a situation I am bombarded with wrong thoughts one after another like repeat fire. Sometimes it can be days or weeks before I realize what has happened. I'm sure I'm not alone.
At the concert, I quickly took my thoughts captive and made them obedience to Christ and enjoyed the rest of the show.
A few days later, I was at the Bible study on 1 Cor 13. That night's talk was on "Love Keeps No Records of Wrongs." While listening intently to the teaching, the Lord again spoke directly to my heart,
"Love keeps no record of wrongs. You have been keeping a record of wrongs. You need to keep a record of rights. Keep a record of what is right in your life. Keep a record of rights."
The "record" we play over and over again in our minds, can be a "record of wrongs" or a "record of rights."
We can choose positive thoughts. We can cast down every imagination and pretense that sets itself against the knowledge of God and take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ. We can.
When we choose to keep a record of wrongs, we aren't loving ourselves. Love keeps no record of wrongs.
What are some record of wrongs in your thought life? Are wrong thoughts causing you to miss the music in your life?
If you are keeping a record of wrongs, how can you replace the wrong thought with a right thought based on God's truth?
Take captive your thoughts. There may be some things wrong in your life, but there are right things. Choose to keep a record of rights. Choose love. He loves you.
Truth for Today:
"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Cor 10:5
[Love] keeps no record of wrongs." 1 Cor 13:5b
