Love Never Fails

^" 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, 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." 

- 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

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Yesterday Andrew told you all about how we're on a new "lifestyle change", we have a meal plan to follow and a workout routine to complete everyday. We have to measure our food, stop eating after six, drown ourselves with water, and drag ourselves through these boot camp-like workouts.  

So far, we're having a lot of fun. 

If you couldn't hear my sarcasm in that last bit, let me assure you, there is nothing fun about what we're forcing ourselves to do. 

Today, in fact, was a particularly hard day. I had to be out of the house early with Katelyn, so after bath time and our morning routine I had forgotten to eat my full breakfast. So on my way out the door, I grabbed a yogurt and that had to suffice. Only, I didn't get home until 2, and by that time, my stomach was eating itself and my normally chipper disposition had flown out the window, and I was mad at the world for no real reason at all. Poor Andrew was on the receiving end of my anger, and it took me a while to be convicted about my poor attitude and the way I'd taken my frustration out on the person I love. 

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Why do I do that? Why do I let myself be caught up in moments of selfishness and pride, and loose sight of who I'm really supposed to be, and how I want to act? 

I'm sure I'm not the only one in the world who acts this way from time to time, but seeing the look on Andrew's face, and feeling God convicting my heart brought me to tears, as I realized, once again, how far I am from the person God is calling me to be. And that pain hurt more than anything. 

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Today's verse is our calling, it's the goal we all need to keep in mind as we go about living our lives, as we love the people around us. This is the pure love of our Heavenly Father, poured out to us, unconditionally, day after day. Though we will never be perfect people on this side of Heaven, it should be our daily goal to improve, and continue to die to self as we try to follow the example set here for us. 

Love is patient

Love is kind

Love does not envy

Love does not boast

Love is not proud

Love does not dishonor 

Love is not self-seeking

Love does not anger

Love keeps no records of wrongs    

Love hates evil

Love rejoices in truth

Love protects

Love trusts

Love hopes

Love always perseveres

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That's quite a list isn't it? If this list doesn't convict us to love better, I don't know what will. 

God is showing us here what true love requires, and this is why so many marriages fail, because no one wants to be corrected or held accountable for their actions. 

But as Christians, we don't have that choice. We have given our lives to Christ, and we are held to a different standard. Excuses don't hold up, and in the end, we are all responsible.

When we're close to The Father, He will do the convicting, and it will be our responsibility to hear His voice, feel His prodding, and change our habits. When we are close to our perfect God, learning from Him, and allowing Him to penetrate our hearts, loving will become easier for us, because we will be filled with more of His goodness, and less of ourselves. 

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I'm so thankful for Andrew, and how he chooses to love me, even when I don't deserve it. I'm thankful for his patience and dedication to me, and I'm thankful for the way he can correct me. 

But even more so, I am thankful for my Father, and the example of love that He gives to us. He is such a good God, so full of love and grace, and so willing to forgive me, heal me, and set me back down on a firm ground. 

It's His love that fills me up, and allows me to try harder the next day. It's His love that restores, and perseveres, even through the hardest of days. 

Praise God for that.