From sun up to sun down, you can tell a person all day long that you love them, but if your actions don’t prove your love, it will be difficult for them to believe what you say. I had an up close and personal view of this when I saw my friend, Josh, the other day. I ran into him grabbing lunch at a nearby eatery. After we greeted each other, without hesitation he began telling me of the turmoil he’s going through with his fiancé. They got engaged a year-ago and have called off the wedding twice in six-months. He says that he loves her very much, but “if one more thing goes wrong in this relationship, I don’t know if I can hold on to it any longer. It just hurts too much!” I thought it was an amazingly candid statement on his part, but candid doesn’t mean that it came from a place of truth.
I was blessed to grow up around strong matriarchs and prayer warriors that made sure my siblings and I never missed Sunday School or church, unless we were too sick to get out of bed. Back then they didn’t play, and you couldn’t get away with pretending. If you were sick enough to miss church, you knew a round of laxatives or the worst tasting medicine ever was coming your way. So, we almost never pretended to be sick, and thankfully, the Word of God was indeed the backdrop for our childhood and adolescent years. I can’t tell you the number of times I heard our seasoned soldiers in the Word say, “When you’ve done all you can, trust in the Lord and He will carry you through.” This was imbedded in my mind and heart, and I’m so glad to have learned this powerful battle strategy so young in life.
Jesus Christ said in John 16:33 (NLT), “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” He wanted us to have confidence in the gifts that he’s made available to us. They are of such high quality that we can’t fail in life when we use them. God’s love never fails. All the spiritual weapons that He’s given us are fail-proof. We must trust this truth, because it will give us endurance through tough times. Jesus Christ wanted us to be clear that while we’re on this earth, yes there’s going to be trials and tribulations, but he had overcome them through God’s love, and by doing so, he laid the blueprint for our victory as well. We can follow his steps and conquer anything the enemy throws our way.
1Corinthians 13:7 (NLT) assures us, “Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” Not only are these beautiful words, they are the truth regarding the love of God in Christ. It has no equal. 1Corinthians 13:8 tells us that love never fails. This is what we’re working with as sons and daughters of the Most High God. There is never a problem that God’s love cannot solve.
Our Lord and Savior tells us in Matthew 11:28-30 to give our burdens to him because only he is able to carry the heaviness of them. He invites us to trust in him, and as we trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, our roots grow deeper in His love.
It is vital that we come to our relationships from a place of truth, not our truth, but GOD’s truth! Your brand of love may not be able to hold on, but God’s love is a glue that sticks forever! His love changes things! It creates, and it produces good results. It stands to reason that the trust you have in Christ will create a stronger commitment and love for God, and it will also strengthen your relationships with others. So, whatever the issue is in your relationship with that special person in your life, THINK before you speak! Don’t make a statement that gives the devil a foot-hole into your union, but do two things: #1 Study God’s Word and commit yourself to learn greater lessons about God’s love through Christ, and #2 invite the presence of the Holy Spirit into your heart and into your relationship. If you will let him guide you, through Christ, he will usher in healing and peace in your union.■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“Ouch…This Hurts Too Much”, written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Mack for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2018. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.