1 Corinthians 13: 4-7,  Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  

Usually, we look at these verses and beat ourselves up because we all fall short at some point of loving others in this way.  Today though, I want us to look at it from another angle:

When a couple first gets married they are in what everyone calls “the honeymoon stage” and loving like that seems not only doable but you don’t think that you will never feel any different about that person.  You pursue each other and do your best, if you are truly committed, to look out for your spouse, and you want to do special things for them because you are so in love!  The Bible calls Christians “the bride of Christ”, now before I lose you here, hear me out.  Part of the reason for that is because He wants you to know that He loves you like a husband should love His wife!  He loves you fully the way it is described in these verses!  Read them again!  Stop and allow it to sink in that He wants you to experience His love on a personal level.  He wants you to know love like you have never known it before!

How can you experience His love to the fullest extent?  Treat Him as a wife should treat her husband (if you are a guy ~ it’s the concept, in other words, treat Him as you should treat a wife). Pursue Him by spending time with Him and getting to know Him better.  Seek His best interest and let go of your agenda because He loves you and He has your best interest at heart.  He does not delight in evil coming into your life, that is satan’s desire to destroy you.  You must trust Him with it all knowing that He loves you.  You can’t outlove Him so set aside all of the past hurts that people have brought into your life and know that He isn’t like that ~ He is God!  Give Him those broken and wounded hearts and allow Him to heal and restore.  Allow Him to fill you with His love for you, not just so you can share it with others, although that will happen, but for you!  His love is for you.  Whatever you are facing today, whether good or bad, He loves you and wants to walk with you.  Pursue Him and His love.  The world is so full of hate and anger.  How will they know HIs love if they can’t see it in you?  How will they know His love if you don’t fully believe He loves you?  

So, instead of beating yourself up over those verses because it seems like an impossible task, just allow yourself to soak in His love for you that those verses describe.  When you grasp His love for you, you will not only begin to see Him in everything, but you will trust Him more and have the faith you need for anything that comes your way because you will know that truly His best is yet to come in your life!

Quote:  “All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.”  ~ Helen Keller