"Love feels no burden, thinks nothing of trouble, attempts what is above its strength, pleads no excuse of impossibility; for it thinks all things lawful for itself, and all things possible."
I read this quote the other day and pasted it into a new blog entry because I wanted to take some time to reflect on it. If there's one thing I've learned from being so close to another person in relationship, engagement, and marriage, its that I don't love very well.
I am incredibly selfish. I love when it's convenient. I do what someone else wants after I've already had my way, or when I think the crazy & mildly unpleasant venture I 'm about to agree to will end in a great story to tell. I serve when it makes me feel better about myself.
This is what I've learned about love lately. Love is simple. Love is daring. Love doesn't consider how much strength must be reserved for tasks, challenges, opportunities later in the day. It doesn't avoid conversations for fear of awkwardness. It says it's sorry when I've messed up really badly. When I love, my pride must away, and going out of my way to care for another becomes infinitely more important than saving face. When I love, no price is too big, no amount of time too long, no inconvenience too inconvenient.
I've seen this kind of love. I've been loved with patience, with a love full of grace and forgiveness again and again and again when I certainly did not deserve it. The love was beautiful, bigger than the ugliness in my heart and powerful enough to change the one who was undeservingly loved.
I want to love like that.
I read this quote the other day and pasted it into a new blog entry because I wanted to take some time to reflect on it. If there's one thing I've learned from being so close to another person in relationship, engagement, and marriage, its that I don't love very well.
I am incredibly selfish. I love when it's convenient. I do what someone else wants after I've already had my way, or when I think the crazy & mildly unpleasant venture I 'm about to agree to will end in a great story to tell. I serve when it makes me feel better about myself.
This is what I've learned about love lately. Love is simple. Love is daring. Love doesn't consider how much strength must be reserved for tasks, challenges, opportunities later in the day. It doesn't avoid conversations for fear of awkwardness. It says it's sorry when I've messed up really badly. When I love, my pride must away, and going out of my way to care for another becomes infinitely more important than saving face. When I love, no price is too big, no amount of time too long, no inconvenience too inconvenient.
I've seen this kind of love. I've been loved with patience, with a love full of grace and forgiveness again and again and again when I certainly did not deserve it. The love was beautiful, bigger than the ugliness in my heart and powerful enough to change the one who was undeservingly loved.
I want to love like that.