In our shop we have a lovely sign that quotes 1 Corinthians 13 – Love is patient, love is kind, etc. I believe this verse is one of the most important to remember as it describes in detail what all love is and how we should seek to emulate it.
The importance of love is further noted when Christ sums up the ten commandments in two: Love the Lord your God and your neighbor as yourself. Without love, we have no hope of keeping the commandments. But with love, we have a wonderful guide to pursue Christ-like behavior!
Never give up
Recently a lady told me how she used to believe in love, but she didn’t really think she did anymore. This wasn’t a superficial, hallmark-movie-style love that we were talking about. It was the real thing.
With this statement she left, leaving me with a racing mind. I know so many women who have had relationships not work out. Some are left hurt and surprised, while others become tough as a result. This is hardly surprising in this day and age, but it still leaves me feeling for those who suffer.
As surprising or saddening these conversations might be, they lead me to search the Scriptures and take the concerns to God in prayer. Love is so much more than romance and happily ever after. Love is all around us, it is in our every day actions – whether performed for others or simply giving our best to God. To give up on this, to lose your faith in it, must be so crippling and discouraging. After all, God is love. Without love, how do you even begin to believe, yet alone understand, the love God has for His children?
What can I say?
When conversations like the one above take place, I’m often caught flat-footed. What do you say to someone who is so decided and your senior? I have to remember that God gives us words when He needs us to respond. And other times, I am convinced He uses these times and conversations to get us reflecting on and thinking about Him.
But perhaps He brought about that conversation so that I could be an encouragement to whomever might read this. What could I say to reassure you of the realness of God’s love? How could I convince you to believe in it?
Perhaps, I’d tell you that you will find what you look for. If you are searching for evidence that love is only in fairy tales, then you’ll be right. But if you’ll search for the true meaning of love, the true heights and depths of it, you’ll be amazed and astounded! God’s love is immeasurable, it never fails, it is patience and perfect. People may fail you, but God never will. Search for Him and you will find Him. And in finding Him, you will gain a real understanding for love because God is love.
That’s the whole point
I want to encourage and inspire you. I want to give you a glimpse of the love God has shown me. It is apparent in every little thing around me, and the more I notice and appreciate, I find the more I have to notice and appreciate. The same is true for you! And as we begin to better understand God’s love, we can show it to those around us and better appreciate it from others in return!
[Love] does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. – 1 Cor. 13:5-7
In short, true love never gives up – it always protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres! Search the Scriptures and seek God. His love never fails.
Until Next Time!
Hope.
PS. In a movie I saw ages ago, an elderly lady was hospitalized. The conclusion was that a shock had broken her heart, thus hospitalizing her. A young friend of hers knew this wasn’t the case – the elderly lady hadn’t suffered heartbreak because she had never given up on love.
That idea really stuck with me. To let heartbreak break you is to be too focused on yourself. Yes, I can imagine incredibly deep sorrow and pain. But through love and time comes healing. I am certain that love never fails. And I want to remember that – no matter what life brings. Love never gives up and I don’t want to either!
You can read more about the movie referenced here: https://www.theamericanlady.com/2019/02/13/the-lost-valentine/