Love Endures All Things

God IS love, and His love has endured since the beginning of time. It has been freely given to all mankind throughout history, although we don’t deserve it and often reject it. It is exactly this truth that makes a ‘Christ-like’ love so powerful. We see so much anger, blame, and contention in our world today which often divides people and destroys relationships. Authentic love, however, has the power to heal and reconnect that which is broken. This is why love should be at the center of everything we do in marriage.

Christ-like love in marriage means giving without counting the cost or expecting anything in return. It means doing things for the other person for their own sake. When we love like this in marriage, we find a deeper bond that thrives and endures. Love calls for us to fix our mistakes quickly, to forgive the little things as well as the big, to show patience even in disappointment, to be gentle even when frustrated, and to seek peace and understanding when we are inclined to think the worst. If we do the opposite of these, we perpetuate the divide.

I know what you’re thinking: “This guy is not living in reality. This seems impossible!” You would be right, except for one thing: God’s grace. If love is going to have any power in our life, we have to ask for God’s grace to practice this virtue every day, to get up and try again when we fall short, to take responsibility for our actions, and to give ourselves time to make these behaviors a new pattern in our life.

The truth is, God’s love will endure whether or not we imitate it in our own lives and relationships. You have a choice: Will you accept and embrace God’s love, extending it to those around you, or will you reject it and rely on your own strength?     

ACTION STEP: This week, begin building enduring love into your marriage by praying for, and then acting on, the grace to practice forgiveness, patience, understanding, etc. when the opportunities arise.