1 Corinthians 13:4-7 says “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” Loving this way sounds reasonable until you are not feeling loved well yourself. This kind of love is not easy or comfortable. All of us have experienced hurt from those we love. And my personal tendency is to feel entitled, as if it is somehow my right, to hurt people back when they hurt me.

But we are called as Christians to endure pain without lashing out in anger, or holding onto the pain and becoming resentful. Not only does love protect the other person, even at cost to themselves; through the pain and frustration of brokenness in human relationship, love HOPES. Love believes in healing and better days ahead. Love perseveres to the other side of pain.

The words translated in the ESV as “always protects” is translated to “bears all things” in the NKJV, and Word Studies in the New Testament says that the term translated means to bear or suffer in the sense that it blocks out resentment as a ship keeps out water. The words “always trusts” can be translated as “endures all things” which is a similar but stronger word, meaning that it holds ground when pressed.

Paul is writing that love is constant, believes the best in others, and relinquishes pain to God instead of clinging to it. This is easier said than done, but we can rest easy in the love of the Father God and urge those around us to see Him as well. God’s love never fails, but ours certainly does. May we love others through their failure and ourselves through our own, with hope and perseverance, because of God’s beautiful redemption.

with love,

Marsella