When love seems hard

When Love Seems Hard

1st Corinthians 13 has long been my go-to scripture whenever I think about the topic of Love. It does such a great job of defining love and it provides the guidelines for love.
It's a scripture that I usually attribute to love between a husband and wife but I've recently come to realize that it's not just to define and the guidelines of love between husband and wife but also amongst the brethren.
Have you ever encountered a situation where you have shown love at all costs according to the scripture, but still you are left with asking yourself , "why is love so hard?" "I show this person so much love and yet she behaves so retched, she makes it difficult to love." "I do all I can for him and still he makes it difficult to love him." Suddenly you find yourself on that thin line between love and hate. When love becomes hard.

Chapter 13 of 1st Corinthians was the Apostle Paul's way of teaching the Corinthians the essential role that love plays in the life of a believer. He attempts to show how needful it is for the body of Christ to be unified and work together and that could only be achieved with love. He starts off by describing how empty one's life is without love. In verses 1 through 3 he defines the constructs of love by detailing how far love must be willing to go to be exemplified and personified and the do's and don't's of love.

In order to really understand, we should consider the basics. Jesus' golden rule is "...do to others as you would have them do to you", (Luke 6:31, Matt. 7:12). Fortunately we human beings are just awesome to say the least! I always consider that God must sit back and marvel at His creation sometimes and just shake His head. The golden rule is the simplicity that is meant to make loving people easy. No matter what a person does or fails to do, love must always be the principle thing. Romans 3:23 says "For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and ALL are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." We are fallen creatures right from the beginning. We are selfish and prefer to love ourselves than to love others. We can be so judgmental because we often fail to remember that the short comings of other's can just as easily be our own shortcomings.

Love is meant to stand out! No wonder the fruit of the spirit begins with love (Gal. 5:22-23). Love conquers, love lifts and love sets free. It's because of this love that God gave His only begotten son. It's because of this love that Abraham passed the ultimate test. It's because of this love that Jesus was willing to die upon that cross. Love is so powerful and Satan will do all he can to rip it out of your heart and tell you "love is too hard, it's less stress if you just hate." But hate is a criminal that comes with his accomplices such as anger, annoyance, irritation, gossip, backbiting and the rest! Hate takes away what has been freely given to you which is love; for John 3:16 says that God loved the world (which is us) that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in him shall have everlasting life." Everlasting life in love, liberty, grace and so much more.  Therfore you must always show love no matter what the obstacles are.

We make love difficult by treating it as just an emotional response. It's that emotional aspect that makes love difficult. We put so much expectation in human beings who will fail because they are not God. Love is a responsibility because God is love. Love is a command says John 13:34, "I give you a new commandment;love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another."
I love you because God love's me despite my mistakes, despite my shortcomings He loves me at all cost.

Some people are difficult to love because they don't know how to express love, but you must just still show them love no matter what and be the example of love that Jesus is for all of us. There is a popular saying that says "kill them with kindness". Yes!, Kill that hate within them with kindness. Love no matter how much resistance you are faced with.

Make love easy by abiding by the following:
-Love by doing to others as you want them to do to you. (Luke 6:31 & Matt. 7:12)
-Love without keeping a record of wrongs,
-Love by humbling yourself at all times.
-Love by being sincere. (Rom. 12:9)
-Love by hating evil (Rom. 12:9)

A man by the name of John Randolph Price said "Chose to live in love, as love, with love and every aspect of your life will change dramatically."  When you chose to love above all, you are a winner and a conqueror. You experience peace. You overcome the schemes of the enemy by allowing love to be 'the most excellent way' as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13:1.

OSF
Olushola Saka Fashina
http://iamforhisglory.blogspot.com

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