Valentine’s Day, along with the hearts, cards, dinners, flowers and chocolates are over. OVER! Boo.
The romance is gone with the passing of the 14th day of February and it is back to status quo.
Not. So. Fast.
Love does not have to be confined to a date. In fact, it should be something we work on every day. Yep, I said WORK. Anyone who has been in any sort of relationship knows that love takes work. None of us wake up every morning with the same person feeling the same way we did when we first fell in love…all gooey and lovey dovey. Sigh.
To be honest, feelings have little to do with lasting love. Someone once told me that if I was fortunate enough to be married to Lee for 50 years, I should not get too upset over the five years that were completely atrocious. Hm.
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1Corinthians 13:4-6
YOWZA! Sounds like work to me!! Again, love has nothing to do with how I feel. It has EVERYTHING to do with my attitude, commitment and decision to love ANYWAY.
Even though this sounds tough, I’m eternally grateful for this truth because God loves us exactly like this! WHEW! Personally, I’m delighted that my salvation isn’t dependent on how God feels from day to day because I’d be in HUGE trouble if it was!
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
It would serve us well to remember the Father’s love for us as we react and respond to those around us because God calls us to LOVE others…and not just on Valentine’s Day or when we FEEL like it.
Easier said than done…of course.
Here’s my top three ideas to help our loves last:
Battle negative feelings about your loved one by thinking of a characteristic you should change in your own self. This takes the judgment away from the other person and reminds us that we are not perfect, either.
Ask God to grow your loved one closer to Him and to you. This works. It might take a while, but be patient. The rewards are AWESOME!
Open your bible to be encouraged that others have faced trials and when they rely on God’s strength – they are always better off!
Plus, I always take in consideration that I might not be all that easy to live with either! WHAT?!?!?!
So…ask God today to guide, shape and bless your relationships! It’s never too late to start!!! And the prize is a love that lasts! WOOHOO!
Some Wisdom for Today: Proverbs 15:17 – Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it.
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