Love begins when a person feels another person's needs to be as important as his own.
~ Henry S. Sullivan
Love is a peculiar
thing... it can often be a fleeting emotion or a stirring euphoria.
Love is a verb -
often encompassing the notion of cherishing or holding dear the object of your
affection.
I Corinthians 13:4-13 is one of the most quoted Scripture passages
in the Bible - especially during wedding ceremonies.
I began to think about the Apostle Paul's reminder to
those in Corinth (and to us as well) to use our spiritual gifts in love.
In Gary Chapman's book
The 5 Love Languages he lists number 4 as "acts of
service". That brought me to a place of self-reflection with regards to my
spiritually mismatched marriage.
Am I using my
"acts of service" Love Language with my spouse?
How is he viewing it?
Here is my personal application of I Corinthians 13:4-8;
13 in my own unequally-yoked marriage:
1.
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not
envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up (vs 4)
~ I am learning to have patience in the little
things. My husband is now fully retired,
and that means he's home nearly all day every day. Be careful not to over-inflate your
ego regarding your own “Christian” position. Don't be so full of yourself that
you overlook their needs and desires.
Simple loving actions mean the world to your spouse – especially for us
after being together for over 30+ years.
Familiarity can breed contempt, and you need to remind yourself that
every day is a new day to show forth the love of Christ to your spouse.
2.
... does not behave rudely, does not seek
its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; (vs 5)
~ Applying my
Fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) are essential when ministering to my
spouse. It is easy to get overwhelmed
and lose your temper. I often pray an
SOS prayer for God to help me with my replies (words) and my body language
(actions) so as not to offend him. I
have to take my thoughts captive (II Corinthians 10:5) and redirect my wayward
mindset. I must resist being prideful
and rude.
3.
... does not rejoice in iniquity, but
rejoices in the truth; (vs 6)
~ I continually ask God to forgive me when I
knowingly sin. If I say I do not sin, I deceive myself (I John 1:8-9). I
rejoice in the truth that God's love prevails and that His Sovereign will
reigns. No matter what I face during times of turmoil and difficulty - God's
love conquers all.
4.
... bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things
(vs 7)
(vs 7)
~ There is nothing that I cannot do with God's
help. Though I may bear the brunt of
yelling or others' frustrations, I can treat them with respect and
dignity. I may be tired and discouraged,
but I can extend grace and kindness. "I can do all things through Christ
who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)
5.
Love never fails (vs 8)
~ My love for my husband needs to be
unconditional - as is God's love for us.
When I am distraught and overwhelmed - my help comes from the Lord. Agape love is a picture of Jesus living out
through us in our actions and words. We
are an extension of Jesus' hands and feet.
"But God demonstrates His own
love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans
5:8)
6.
And now abide faith, hope, love, these
three; but the greatest of these is love (vs 13)
~ In the end, all I know is that my "acts
of service" are just what my husband needs right now. Your marriage may be in a different phase
than ours. You may be a newlywed or have
a young family. Have faith that God will enable you to love your spouse as He
intended.
Here is a link to one of my past blog posts for Valentine’s Day
that talks about showing “love” to those closest to us.
Finally, oftentimes I walk and pray and pour my heart out
to God. One day not long ago I said, "Lord, thank you that I have a good
husband, a responsible provider, and a man that loves his family. Thank you
Lord that You are my motivation and my help. You order my steps as I walk this
path laid before me."
I encourage you to look deep within as you serve your
spouse and use God's gifts to bring Him glory...
Deborah is the author of a Christian non-fiction book
titled “Mission Possible”. It is written for women who love the Lord Jesus, but
their spouse doesn’t share their passion.
It will encourage and challenge the reader to embrace God’s promises for
their spouse and future together. Visit
http://www.spirituallyunevenmarriage.com
If you have been encouraged by this post - please take time to
share it with others.
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