When my husband Philip and I got married, one of the pastors who did the ceremony gave us some good advice which has remained with me. He said, "Today, you both look at each and are so in love and can't imagine a day when you might feel otherwise. However, there will undoubtedly be days ahead when you feel annoyed with one another and don't feel that loving. In those moments, I encourage you to look to God to help you love even when you don't feel like it. It's from Him that you can love like you want to, as He fills your heart with what you need when you fall short."
Those words were sound advice, and I always try to keep them in mind in my relationships with my husband, family and people in my world, especially when I'm feeling pressured or annoyed. Because let's face it, sometimes we run out of niceness and feeling lovely, and that's where and when we can lean in on the love God offers to pour into our hearts. He is the author of love; in Him, we are complete and have all we need. Alone we will lack and fall short, but with God, we can be and do what we need to be able to walk out the best versions of ourselves. (Col 2:10; Romans 3:23; 2 Corinthians 12:9)
I encourage you to remember that when your ability to be loving falls short or runs out, look to God and ask Him to fill your heart with His love. (Romans 5:5)
Make Room For Love
To make room for God to do that, it helps to check the condition of your heart and determine to make room in your heart and attitude for love to come in. Let go of any past hurts and resentment because those things will crowd out and limit your capacity to receive and be filled with God's love and then be able to share it with others.
Let Go And Let God
As the saying goes, "Let go and let God", and then invite Him to fill your heart and thoughts with his love and ways. As a result, you'll love far beyond your natural capabilities and have lasting, loving relationships.
"Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:31-32 ESV)
Today whatever state your heart and relationships are in, know that God's love is available to you. Ask Him to fill your heart with His love, and remember to clear out anything that would try to crowd out or diminish love's power in your life. For His love is not fragile but enables us to heal, break through and overcome to be the people we desire to be. His love working in and through you will never fail. (1 Cor 13:8)
"Love is patient; love is kind. It does not envy; it does not boast; it is not proud. It does not dishonour 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 the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away." (1 Cor 13:4-7 NIV)
"And now these three remain; faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13)
"Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it." ( Song of Solomon 8:7)
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (1 Corinthians 12:9 NIV)
Prayer: Lord, thank you for your love which causes me to overcome. I choose to let go of every hurt and ask that your love would go to work in my heart and circumstances to help me to love as you do because I know that your love in me never fails. In Jesus name Amen.