Love is...(Part II)

Love is hard work. Sometimes we make the assumption that because we love people, all that it takes to keep our relationships (I use this term loosely)will come to us naturally. That has not been my experience.It is against the nature of the natural man to put the needs of another person over yours.

Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs 1st Corinthians 13

Erm, although this bit of my Bible is highlighted, I know I've not really been living it out because I don't know about you but I find it hard especially the not easily angered part and not keeping a record of wrongs! I've come to realise that love is more than something I feel, it's something I do. Like they say, love is a verb!

Love may involve time in the gym staying in shape, it may mean forgiving someone who has hurt you deeply, it may mean learning how to cook a specific meal in a specific way (this applies to both boys and girls!!), it may mean patiently waiting while she decides whether gold or silver accessories are more appropriate. It may mean learning how to put the toilet seat down (or back up?). It may involve retraining your hands to squeeze the toothpaste from the end of the tube or realising that it doesn't really matter!

Love sometimes means letting go of my pride and admitting I don't have it all together and seeking counsel. Love involves commitment, digging my heels in and saying though there might be some better people out there, I believe you are the best for me. The grass may seem greener on the other side but it's because the people on the other side of the fence put in the work to sow, water, fertilise and weed the lawn and I'm willing to do what it takes to make this green as well. A beautiful garden does not happen by accident, it takes a lot of hard work, determination, consistency and maturity.

Especially maturity..when i was a child, i TALKED like a child, i THOUGHT like a child, i REASONED like a child. When I became a MAN (or WOMAN), I put my childish ways behind me (1st Corinthians 13:11 NIV. Love is hard work but God gives us the grace. The fruit of the Spirit is love (Galatians 5:22) and God will teach us what we need to do but more especially who we need to be.

This post just seems to be here, there and everywhere but I am trusting God for restoration in the area of relationships, whether between husband and wife, mother and daughter, fathers and son. Let there be love shared amongst us, it may be hard but there is no life without love!

Remain blessed. 2008 continues to remain our year of UNCOMMON TESTIMONIES.