Love Never Fails

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 The Message

4 Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, Doesn’t have a swelled head, 5 Doesn’t force itself on others, Isn’t always “me first,” Doesn’t fly off the handle, Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, 6 Doesn’t revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, 7 Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.

8 Love never dies.

I am so overwhelmed by this whole 'love' thing as of late...I mean, I have always believed in love! It's always been a huge part of my life... I thought that I was a pretty loving, compassionate person. I don't have a problem accepting others or doing things for others. I enjoy helping people. I even would say that I thrive off of helping others. I try to be nice. I try to observe the "Golden Rule"....but I've come to realize lately that it's not enough. It's not the kind of LOVE that is described in the above verse. If I dig deep and really search myself, there are usually selfish reasons that I do the things that I do. Not necessarily bad or wrong or malicious reasons. But still selfish nonetheless. Whether it be to fulfill my desires or to cause people to like me or even to make someone else happy...none of those are portraying the PURE LOVE that Corinthians 13 tells of.  That kind of love is not something that you DO....i have realized that it must be something that you ARE...wow...It has to become a part of you. So that in every circumstance, with every person you ARE that love. The love that "never gives up...cares for others more than self.....doesn't keep score....puts up with anything....TRUSTS GOD ALWAYS..." That kind of love takes a transformation. Not only in your heart. But in your head as well. The world has taught us such a warped, jacked up view of what "love" looks like and feels like that we have to concsiously work to change our way of thinking concerning it. The world tells us to follow our heart and do what it tells us, but the Bible tells us that

“The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out." Jeremiah 17:9.

and

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:21

So, that tells me that we have ruling over our heart. It does not rule over us. Wherever WE place our treasure, our HEART follows. We don't follow our heart. It has to follow us! I have been in the place where my heart has deceived me. I have been in the place where I felt like I was following my heart and it lead me down a dark, dangerous, deadly road that, in the end, only lead to pain and suffering and brokeness. I am now longing for this Corinthians 13 kind of love at work in my life. I want to have that kind of love for others. I want to BE that kind of love! I know that God has surrounded me with some people that are living it out and I plan to glean from every bit of wisdom and guidance that they give me. But moreover, i plan to seek Him for it, and learn from Him about it. I know that it is something that only He can do. No one can BE that kind of love without His help. It's tough....but I know it is so worth it!