Paradoxical Life in Death, Part II

Reflecting on how death brings new life, Jesus being considered this Easter Eve...

I'm pondering my own "sufferings" (nil, compared to Christ, compared to our brothers and sisters in other lands, especially the Christians of Egypt who have been slaughtered this year), and I am convicted to repent, and convinced to have to share:

I am a very slow learner.  Yup.  For all my brains, quick thinking and logic and linking together threads of ideas to see 'the big picture' [which is a great strength of mine], I am slow.

Slowly, I am 'getting' that praying for things - like patience, gentleness, etc - is not how these develop.  God will not just hand me down from heaven a big 'bucket of patience'!!!!!

No, in his love and tolerance for my childishness, he will just walk beside me in LIFE as difficult situations and people come my way, and I will chose to rest in his power and ask for help, OR struggle on in my own human wisdom and 'plough' through - detrimentally, often - on my own.

Slowing down, paradoxically, to reflect on this slowness of my heart, has been very necessary.

This little offering of the table below is to show what I have been thinking about.
Maybe it is something you could adapt and add to in your life:   Write it out, and take it to the Lord - sit before him and ponder his love and his grace that will help you - if only you (and I) will ask:

Guideline for my life                                        Why? Purpose: characteristic/Fruit of the Spirit desired
-acknowledge God is with me                           thankfulness, joy, love
-think of others                                                  love
-don't swear                                                       self-control, goodness
-be grateful                                                        thankfulness, joy
-no jokes, no jesting                                          self-control, gentleness, love
-listen more                                                       patience, love
-include others                                                  love, patience, gentleness
-think the best                                                   self-control, love
-sing hymns more                                             joy, thankfulness
-"smell the roses"                                             thankfulness, joy
- .....

In the death of my selfishness, impulses, desires, "jumping to conclusions", wanting to be "funny", etc, there will be the NEW LIFE of Christ-likeness, the fruit of the Spirit - and glory to God.

From death, the power of God brings life.  This is the miracle of Easter.
This is the Christian message.