Love Is Not ProvokedSample

A Life Marked by Love

As this series comes to an end, the question remains: Does irritability characterize you? Not in isolated moments, not in rare failures, but in the way others would describe your daily life. Would your spouse, children, and closest friends say you are patient and gracious, or would they say you are easily angered, quick to take offense, or difficult to approach?

We often judge ourselves leniently, but those who know us best see the truth. Do they meet with Christ’s love in you, or do they find someone who is regularly frustrated and short-tempered? Would they say it takes a lot to upset you, or does it seem that you are always a few moments away from irritation?

Throughout this series, we have seen that irritability is not a harmless quirk. It is rooted in selfishness. It makes everything about us—our time, our comfort, our expectations. Scripture calls us to a higher standard. Love is patient. Love is kind. Love does not insist on its own way. Love is not easily provoked.

So, what do we do when we recognize irritability in our hearts? The answer is not willpower. It is not simply trying harder to control our tempers. The only real cure for irritability is love—the kind of love that is produced by the Spirit of God, the kind of love that flows from a life fully submitted to Christ.

If irritability has taken root in your life, take the steps we’ve discussed: acknowledge it as sin, mourn over it, recognize its selfish roots, and intentionally turn from it. Don’t excuse it, justify it, or redefine it. Instead, bring it before the Lord and ask Him to replace it with patience, humility, and true, Spirit-filled love.

This is not something you can manufacture on your own. It is a work of God in you. So as you reflect on this series, don’t settle for surface-level change. Ask God to do a deep work in your heart. Let His love shape your thoughts, your words, and your reactions. Choose to be someone whose life is marked by the kind of love that testifies to the reality of Jesus.

This devotional was based on a sermon by Richard Caldwell. To know more visit our website https://straighttruth.net/?v=1bfad22f0925