“Love is patient and kind; … rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.”
1 Corinthians 13:4a, 6b-8a ESV
“Love them through it.”
Wise words of advice from a friend as I shared with her struggles with one of my children. My initial response was, “Well, of course, I’m going to love them through it.” But as I pondered her words, the Holy Spirit whispered to my soul, “Do you love them WELL through it?”
I was undone!
I deeply love my children. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t care so much, and the chest pain caused by heartache wouldn’t be so real.
But in reality, I must ask myself, Do I love well through mistakes, broken boundaries, and when they make different choices than I would make?
In 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a, the Apostle Paul instructed how to love others well. To understand what love is, let’s first begin by understanding what love is not.
What love isn’t
Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13:4b-6a, “love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing…”.
The following questions help us evaluate ourselves against God’s Word. How do I speak to my children when they make mistakes? Do I insist that my way is the only right way? When my heart breaks over poor choices, do I build a wall around my heart that leads me to be unkind and unloving?
I don’t know about you, but I’m convicted as I reflect on these verses and questions. Paul reminded us in Romans 3:23, “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. Just as our children are imperfect, so are we.
Friend, I wonder if you, too, struggle to love well. If so, don’t be discouraged. You are not alone. There is hope! The Lord graciously guided us in our focal passage on how to love our children well.
Loving our children well
“Love is patient and kind; … rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” 1 Corinthians 13:4a, 6b-8a ESV
Love rejoices in the truth. While our heart aches when our children make poor choices, in love, we are called to bear all things with them – the good, bad, and everywhere in between.
In love, we always believe God has a plan and purpose for their lives and continue to pray they experience that purpose and plan. (Jeremiah 29:11)
In love, while there is breath in their lungs, we always have hope and endure every choice with them – even when we disagree. Our children need to know our love for them will never fail.
When we struggle to be patient and kind, we can take a deep breath and pray Psalm 19:14 NLT, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight. O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” Praying this passage helps refocus our hearts and minds on loving our children as God desires.
Heavenly Father, You know my heart and love for my children. I desire to love them well through the good, the bad, and everywhere in between, but honestly, I don’t always get it right. In those moments when I’m struggling, remind me you are here to help me love them as you love them. Give me a heart that sees them as you do and words and actions that point them to you. In Jesus’ name, amen.
In His Calm,
