Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections, but instantly set about remedying them – every day begin the task anew.

~ Francis de Sales

It’s frustrating the way imperfections, like bugs on flowers, don’t show up until I blow up a photo on the big screen.

It’s frustrating when I don’t see imperfections in my own life until circumstances blow them up and project them on a screen where I can’t miss them.

Seeing our own flaws can suck the courage right out of us, but God in his kindness points out problems that could mess things up later. His grace is the empowerment to change. When he points out a fly on the flower in the way we relate to others, it’s not to convince us to hide in shame. It’s to infuse us with the courage to make changes that will improve our ability to love as he loves.

It’s his patient kindness that leads to repentance. He has invested everything in seeing us become who he knows we really are. Have patience. He knows what he’s doing.