On my husband and I's wedding day, the pastor who conducted our ceremony said, "today, you are madly in love and could never imagine that you would have a day where you aren't feeling like that. However, if there is ever a time when you are annoyed, angry and don't feel very loving towards one another, then ask your Heavenly Father to fill your hearts with His love which will enable you to love where you feel you can't."
It was good advice, not because I've had very many of those days in nearly 32 years of marriage, but because it's good advice regarding choosing to love others overall.
People, in general, can hurt and disappoint you, whether that is a spouse, child, another family member, friend, colleague or whoever. People hurt people, and we need at times to tap into a reserve of love that is not found in looking deeper within ourselves but in looking to God, the author of love. He is love itself in its entirety, and His love overcomes and is the most powerful force in the universe which cannot and will not fail. (1 Cor 13:7)
If you want to keep growing in your ability to love and relate healthily to others, then do it with the greatest power in the Universe and lean into love and the one who is love. In Him, you will find the simple, unadulterated, heaven-sent, devil-busting love. (1 John 4:8)
We will need to tackle a certain amount of fear in discovering love because we all put up barriers to protect ourselves. But Jesus' ultimate plan for us is that we grow to love everyone; seeing the beauty in others even when we may think they are weird, or they wear masks that make them seem strange to us. To do that we’ll have to learn to discern the toxic, using good judgment, but choosing not to live in judgment.
Today whatever state your heart and life are in, know that God's love is available. Ask for Him to fill your heart with His love and then make room for it. For His love is not fragile but enables us to heal, breakthrough and overcome!
"Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it." ( Song of Solomon 8:7)
"And now these three remain; faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13)
"Love is large and incredibly patient. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one's achievements nor inflate its own importance. Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect nor selfishly seek its own honour. Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offence. Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong. Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up." (1 Cor 13:4-7 TPT)
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 every circumstance because I know that your love in me never fails. In Jesus name Amen.