There will always be someone who does not live up to your opinion of them. They will make mistakes in life that disappoint you. They will make bad decisions that hurt themselves and others and never seem to grow in their faith. This can be emotionally hard to witness when you have loved and invested your life in someone.
However, the agape love of God will never leave you or forsake you. His love will never fail you or disappoint you. His love is constant, unchanging, and unwavering, steadfast, and genuine. God wants us to learn to live in this unceasing, untiring, forgiving, patient, believing, enduring, agape love. This is why the Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to write the famous words found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.
Consider the following written by Rick Renner and inspired by his Greek word study of 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. Ask yourself if this is the kind of love operating in your life or if his words reveal you need to grow more in certain areas?
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Love patiently and passionately bears with others for as long as patience is needed.
Love doesn’t demand others to be like itself; rather, it is so focused on the needs of others that it bends over backwards to become what others need it to be.
Love is not ambitious, self-centered, or so consumed with itself that it never thinks of the needs or desires that others possess.
Love doesn’t go around talking about itself all the time, constantly exaggerating and embellishing the facts to make it look more important in the sight of others.
Love does not behave in a prideful, arrogant, haughty, superior, snooty, snobbish, or clannish manner.
Love is not rude and discourteous — it is not careless or thoughtless, nor does it carry on in a fashion that would be considered insensitive to others.
Love does not manipulate situations or scheme and devise methods that will twist situations to its own advantage.
Love does not deliberately engage in actions or speak words that are so sharp, they cause an ugly or violent response.
Love does not deliberately keep records of wrongs or past mistakes.
Love does not feel overjoyed when it sees an injustice done to someone else but is elated, thrilled, ecstatic, and overjoyed with the truth.
Love protects, shields, guards, covers, conceals, and safeguards people from exposure.
Love strains forward with all its might to believe the very best in every situation.
Love always expects and anticipates the best in others and the best for others.
Love never quits, never surrenders, and never gives up.
Love never disappoints, never fails, and never lets someone down.
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Is this the kind of love exhibited in your life? Do your words, attitudes, actions, and reactions reveal this? Or are there areas in your life where you need to grow and change in this love?
We need to be honest with ourselves. People have messy lives. No one is perfect—certainly, we aren’t. We need to evaluate our lives constantly in regard to this kind of love. Don’t think these words sound nice, but you could never love like this. We are called to love with His love. God does not call us to do something impossible. We are called to the unconditional surrender of ourselves to love as Christ loved us.
Your life is one of relationships. As you grow in your relationship with Jesus, you will also grow in your relationship with others. How you relate to others, love others, and impact others is vital in your life and witness. Since this is so important, don’t you think you need to spend time with the Lord and ask Him to honestly reveal areas where you need to develop in agape love?
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Holy Spirit, reveal areas where I have not loved as you wish. I want only to be your hands and feet. You constantly inspire me to reach my highest potential. I want to love with your love and inspire others to reach theirs. I never want to burden but inspire. I never want to speak defeat but life. I never want my actions or reactions in times of emotional stress to hinder but to reveal your love. I want to always speak your truth in love. I want to encourage others as you constantly encourage me. Each day, help me to learn more and more of your love that held nothing back. Flow through me, Holy Spirit, constantly changing my thoughts, attitudes and actions. I want to react as you react. I never want to cast a stone. Jesus, I want to be forgiving, always seeing, knowing, and inspiring your potential in others. As you have loved me, Jesus, I ask your love to be in me. Keep me out of the way. Be alive in me, Jesus. Love through me so others will also let you love through them. Thank you, Jesus, for your Grace that changed everything. May your Grace continually change, empower, and flow through me.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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