“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:7
Relationships can be painful, especially when you’re pouring in love and getting crushed in return. This tension becomes especially complicated in long-term relationships where there’s been betrayal, manipulation, or emotional damage. How do you love wisely without losing your own peace, growing suspicious, or even defensive? Is there a point where you should walk away?
How can you love while also guarding your heart?
I brought all these messy questions to God one day, exhausted and confused about a relationship I wanted to salvage—but feared was destroying me. Here’s what our conversation sounded like:
Me: “Father, how do I keep loving this person without being hurt over and over again?”
God: “Jesus walked this earth for 33 years. He loved His enemies so much He died for them. I’m not asking you to do that—I’m asking you to surrender to Me and trust Me. Jesus made the way for everyone to know Me. He knew who would accept Him and who would reject Him.”
Me: “But I’m not Jesus! I don’t know the future.”
God: “Exactly. That’s why you stay close to Me. When you walk with Me, I’ll show you WHO to love, WHEN to love, and HOW much to love.”
Wow—the pressure was off!
God didn’t give me a formula; He gave me Himself.
The closer we are to Him, the clearer His direction becomes. Sometimes He leads us to love someone without explanation or proof of impact. Other times, He tells us to withdraw—not out of bitterness—but because the soil is not ready. We can still pray for the people God leads us away from because God knows their heart and ultimately—it is HIS presence that will change them—not ours.
God doesn’t need us to figure people out. He needs us to walk closely with Him. His Spirit will show us how to love—whether that’s pressing in or walking away. He is brilliant in so many ways!
Love is most powerfully experienced by surrendering our entire self to the One who loves best!
Today’s Challenge:
Is there a relationship that’s causing you to lose your peace? Spend time alone with God and ask Him to identify the ways the relationship is stealing your peace. Give God each obstacle. Jesus is the Prince of Peace!
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for being the God who not only loves perfectly but who teaches me how to love wisely. Help me to stay close to You so I can hear Your voice above the noise of my emotions. Give me the courage to love when You say love, and the peace to walk away when You say the time has come. I trust You to guide my heart. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
One Response
WE must trust God with our whole heart and know he will never fail us.