I found this blog, Practical Theology for Women a while back, and have always walked away from her posts blessed, and too often convicted. Today is no different.

She writes about wanting to see fruit in the lives of other believers too soon. She admits that too often we walk away from struggling friends because we give up on loving them the way Christ loves us.

"We Christians are an impatient lot. We insist on gathering grain before it grows. We want to see flowers before spring and fruit before fall. When a brother or sister is going through a tough time, we insist that the Spirit’s work be obvious. Unless they speak of their trials from a spiritual perspective, we tend to apply pressure more than we dispense grace. We rarely believe that life is hidden in the barren tree. Let a friend express his exasperation with a four-letter word, and immediately we’re more concerned with his language than with his agony."

Ouch. If you identify with that statement, let me encourage you to read the whole post and then glory in the great Gospel message of forgiveness without a timeline.