I'm Going to Love You Whether You Like it or Not!

"Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance."~I Corinthians 13:7 NLT

Have you ever known someone that for whatever reason doesn't see or feel worth? Did this verse from I Corinthians that says to never give up on love somehow become just another line in a book that is placed on the shelf? How can a person not feel worthy of being loved? It happens more than one may think. The reasons are endless in this society filled with expectations and stamps of "pass and fail" throughout life. Did they at some point give up the hope of ever being loved? 

I Corinthians 13 is often used in wedding readings because it focuses on the importance of faith, love, and hope for the relationship to thrive and endure life's challenges. It's a chapter that is a "feel good" chapter of the Bible. And, what could be a better scripture reading for a wedding? Don't we hope and pray that all newlyweds will celebrate one anniversary after another filled with smiles?  

Parents also know the depth of this chapter of the Bible. When a child is born, they find within themselves strengths to do things they never thought possible. They will stand up and advocate for their child in all circumstances. Nothing is out of the question to solve a problem. Love is a powerful tool! 

In those dark moments when turmoil erupts in relationships it's easy to edge back to the negative and forget all about I Corinthians 13. We want to reflect back to wars of the Old Testament and share our own reasoning for the battle we are facing and the battlefield we have entrenched. But, Jesus came to teach us a new way to solve problems. In my own understanding, paraphrasing I could almost hear Jesus say, "I'm going to love you whether you like it or not! And, I want you to do the same to others."

Each day we make the "decision to love", whether the person likes it or not. Because of this decision that we have control over, our heart grows larger, our souls are fed, and walls of discord come down one brick at a time. It's not an easy task because the mortar between the bricks hangs on. And let's face the reality that some people are very difficult to love. Let's stand up and be advocates for I Corinthians 13 and never give up on faith, hope, and love. If we truly want to follow Jesus, maybe our job is to love others whether they like it or not.  And maybe, just maybe, Jesus will look deep inside us, and say, "Today you got it right. Good job!"

Let us pray . . .

Heavenly Father,

Help us each day to choose faith, hope, and love. Give us the strength to calm our tempers, misguided thoughts, judgments, and inappropriate conclusions. Fill our hearts with a love that reflects your love for each of us as we love others whether they like it or not.

Amen.

Win or Lose: the Holy Spirit IS with You

"When the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. 'I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.'" John 14:26-27 NLT

As I write this, a young boy is laying in a hospital bed fighting for his life; a friend is fighting the effects of chemo in her fight against breast cancer; a wife is donating organs from her husband who is the father of their two young children; a young couple battles the disappointments of infertility; and another family continues to grieve the suicide of their son this past summer. Unfortunately, life isn't always filled with those moments that always turn out "right."  Did they not pray enough; were they not faithful enough; or were they somehow forgotten by God? I don't think so.

Often times we forget that in reality, God is with those that win the battles as well as those that lose the battles in life. Regardless of the human understanding of the pain, if we believe that the Father sends the Holy Spirit to teach us everything, it may mean there is something to learn in all situations. Perhaps as the verse so boldly promises, that "the gift is peace of mind and heart" regardless of the outcome. It's something "the world cannot give." Now, that doesn't sound near as soothing as having every circumstance turn out the way we yearn for, but woven deep in this promise is a loving spirit of gratefulness. Within all tragedies and heartaches, springs of gratitude emerge that generate this gift of peace of mind and heart. The community of the young boy fighting for his life have come together in unity to pray and support the entire family in a multitude of ways; the woman fighting breast cancer has found support in friends and a new church family; many people will live due to the sacrifice of the organs of this young father; the couple facing infertility has made friends with another couple that personally know their struggle who have a deep faith and understanding that God's answers aren't always what we expect; and the family that lost their son are finding ways to reach out to others to bring a social awareness of suicide so that maybe another son or daughter might be saved.

Whether we win or lose the battle, faith will provide an overwhelming response of gifts to the mind and heart. We only need to trust God and leave our minds and hearts open to Him. He will fill us with gratitude even when our hearts are broken. I have no doubt that we will all cry tears of disappointment and sorrow in our lives; it's inevitable. If within the tears we can see God at work in the people that touch our lives, isn't the promise truly fulfilled? Doesn't God provide what we need to survive all circumstances? Isn't God with those that survive as well as those that did not? 

Let us pray . . . 

Heavenly Father,

Help us to face the disappointments and heartaches in this earthly journey. Thank you for bringing others into our lives to help bring comfort and peace of mind and heart when we feel like we can't go on. May your Holy Spirit remind us that we are never alone. And whether we win or lose the battle, we trust that you are always with us.

Amen.