Love NEVER fails!

When my wife and I were in the US recently we were amazed by how many people we met who were either divorced and single or remarried.  This was not a judgment of a person, rather an observation which alarmed us.

We were both brought up to believe that married was “until death doth part!”  We belonged in a church where people were excommunicated or at least punished if their marriage failed.  I don’t believe in either, nor do I believe that a person should live in condemnation or be judged if they choose to separate or divorce.

I do believe that many people, especially Christians, go into a relationship with a lack of knowledge about love.  In fact, I would go as far to say that most people don’t understand love!

The side effects of this lack of knowledge are devastating.  It does not just cause emotional trauma and lifelong issue associated with the loss of love, it causes:

• loss of business,
• loss of finances,
• loss of productivity,
• loss of creativity,
• low self-worth,
• sickness,
• eating disorders,
• even death to name a few!

The effect a divorce has on children is so massive we cannot comprehend it.

Here are some startling facts:

According to Nationmaster.com, the USA has the highest annual divorce rate in the world – 495 per 100,000 people, UK is #4, New Zealand is #6, Australia is #7 and Canada is #8!!  USA is twice as high as Australia.  Italy comes in at #32 with 27 people per 100,000 … that’s one twentieth of that of the USA!!  Want the harsh reality … that is 1,584,000 divorces per year in the USA alone! WOW!!

Here is another sad fact:

One in every two children now goes to bed in the USA without a father to tuck them in! The effects of a child not knowing a father’s presence and influence is horrific … maybe that’s an article for another time.

No wonder the bible says that “My people perish because of the lack of knowledge.”

We MUST start learning, living and teaching people about love.  I’m not speaking about the emotion of love but rather the God type of love or ‘Agape’ … unconditional love.

Love is the most powerful unseen force known to man.

You can have everything else in the world but if you don’t have love in your heart you are empty, lonely and will experience hell on earth!  If you have unconditional love, no matter what else you lack, you will feel on top of the world … heaven on earth.

The opposite of unconditional love is not hate but rather selfishness.  Love says “How can I bless you?” when selfishness says “How can I get for me?”

Love is a decision not an emotion.

To decide comes for the Latin root of ‘de’ and ‘cide’ which means to cut off – so a decision means to cut off all other possibilities.

Imagine the effect on a relationship if, when people went into it, they both cut off all other possibilities.  That means when the going got tough they knew that there was no other option other then make it work.

• What if you never quit on the other person?
• What if you put their needs before yours?
• What if you only saw the best in them at all times?
• What if you never kept score of the times they mess up?
• What if you never questioned their intent?
• What if you never got mad at them because you loved them unconditionally?
• What if you never looked back but only looked forward to the perfect outcome?
• What if you understood love and lived it each day?

The most potent characteristic of God is that He is love, love is God’s nature.

Do this … Just for today, regardless of what you are going through or how angry people make you feel, give everyone you meet a loving compliment (or smile or wave).  If you can’t think of what to say just say, “Did you know that God loves you?”  Let me know what happens!

Oh! … and by the way … Did you know that I love you?  And God loves you.

“Eagerly pursue and seek to acquire this love – make it your aim, your great quest …” (1 Corinthians 14:1)

Tagged with: god • Inspiration • love • the power

Filed under: Featured • Inspiration

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