The Force of Love
Sometimes when I'm lying in bed at night fear creeps up on me. I worry that my husband and I might fall out of love. This is a thing. It happens to people, at least that's what they say. Panic overcomes my heart as I try to imagine life without my husband. Sometimes I wonder at the power of the dark to bring stupid thoughts.
Then it occurred to me that I never fell in love. I don't think my husband did either. We chose love. As long as we continue to choose love, there is no magical power that we are subject to that can blow us randomly in and out of love, it is an act of our will.
The movies/romance books are stupid because they say this:
1. You fall in love.
2. You live happily ever after.
The truth is love looks a lot more like a mediaeval war film. If you do it right, you will emerge with battle scars.
You keep going when you want to give up. When you fall down you pick yourself up, dust off your knees and try again. When the other person falls down, you pick them up. You don't mock them for falling, instead you believe that God is going to use their failure to show himself strong. You always believe the best, you give them the benefit of the doubt, even when they don't deserve it. You smile and hold your tongue instead of landing that witty zinger. You don't have a retort. You believe God's dreams over them, the very best. You make little of their weaknesses and much of their strengths. You get of your high horse about the little things they do that annoy you. You don't push to get the very best for your self at their expense, instead you look out for their interests.
When you place all the chips on love, you win every time.
Here's the original.
Then it occurred to me that I never fell in love. I don't think my husband did either. We chose love. As long as we continue to choose love, there is no magical power that we are subject to that can blow us randomly in and out of love, it is an act of our will.
The movies/romance books are stupid because they say this:
1. You fall in love.
2. You live happily ever after.
The truth is love looks a lot more like a mediaeval war film. If you do it right, you will emerge with battle scars.
You keep going when you want to give up. When you fall down you pick yourself up, dust off your knees and try again. When the other person falls down, you pick them up. You don't mock them for falling, instead you believe that God is going to use their failure to show himself strong. You always believe the best, you give them the benefit of the doubt, even when they don't deserve it. You smile and hold your tongue instead of landing that witty zinger. You don't have a retort. You believe God's dreams over them, the very best. You make little of their weaknesses and much of their strengths. You get of your high horse about the little things they do that annoy you. You don't push to get the very best for your self at their expense, instead you look out for their interests.
When you place all the chips on love, you win every time.
Here's the original.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. I Cor. 13:4-8
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