That Which is Perfect is Coming

1 Corinthians 13

1 Corinthians 13 is spoken of as "the love chapter". This discussion will focus on verse 7.

"(Love) bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things". As we have previously discussed, all things does not mean any thing but all His things. I see this portion of scripture as the place where the Lord initiates His perfect plan for our individual lives and shows us how to work out that plan in and with Him as opposed to working it out in our own power.

Bear, the verb, has 26 applications or definitions according to Webster's dictionary. A few that interest me and are applicable to this discussion are: to accept or have as an obligation; to carry in mind or heart; to carry or conduct; to sustain or be capable of; to give birth to; to hold up or support; to tend in a course or direction; TO BE SITUATED. The love of God in us situates us in the direction He wants us to go. If we love Him, we will bear it, willing to conduct or carry it. We will allow Him to change our course.

Believing all things means, once we have been situated by His course, to do what He reveals to us regarding the course or vision, taking the steps you feel inspired to. His vision will thrill you although you are yet unrefined in it. The thrill is meant to bring your focus on Him and His righteousness. You will seek Him for revelation regarding the course; He will show you who He is. He is making it real to you that you can do nothing in this course without Him; but all things are possible WITH HIM.

Hoping all things means that you are willing to be stimulated in the course by the truth of what He has revealed to you. It is not  "maybe it will happen some day if I am lucky". It is a knowing that what He has said will come to pass.

Enduring all things is the place where He and His course are truly refined. Without doubt, we bear His things in a place of carnality. He situates us so that we may come to a place where we are carnal no more. No matter what you think, you will make mistakes in this course as you will take action based upon the thrill you have. The carnal nature of the self-sufficient man must be replaced by the nature that desires to walk just as Jesus himself walked: He said what His Father said; He did what He saw the Father do. Endurance is strengthened by repentance: recognizing your mistake and returning to Him. If you make no mistakes, He did not come for you. He came for those who need help. The idea is that enduring all things will bring you, under His tutelage, to the place of oneness with He and the Father, walking out His perfect will. "To be made complete in one, so that the world may know that You have sent Me (Jesus) and have loved them (that's us) just as You loved Me (Jesus)"(John 17:23).