Hosea Chapter 12. Why are you so frustrated with me?
In God's frustration with Israel he says to them that they must return to him and maintain love and justice and wait for him always. Let me break those three things down.
1. Maintain Love: Love is the key ingredient that demonstrates if Jesus is real in our lives or not. Are we loving people or just loving those who make it easy to love them? Here's a test. Think of the person who rubs you the wrong way or annoys you or has hurt you. Now, ask yourself, do you show love to them? Is forgiveness in your vocabulary? Is compassion in your heart?
2. Maintain Justice: In other words, be fair to everyone and be consistent. Don't show favoritism. With God there's no favoritism for we all get what we deserve. God does not accept bribes or is not swayed toward helping a rich person more than a poor person or helping one race over another race. His decisions are not based upon how popular it will make him look.
3. Wait for God always: In other words, be patient.
Isaiah 40:31 says that those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength.
Psalm 37:7 says that we are to be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.
Patience is one of the fruits of the spirit. So impatience is one of the fruits of the devil. To be impatient is to lack trust for God's plan in God's time. Impatience is feeling one needs to take over what God is trying to do, as if we know what's best.
I wonder how frustrated God is with me? Am I loving the unlovable? Do I show favoritism? Do I wait patiently for God's plan?
God help me where I'm weak!