You say you love someone.
But then you lose patience. You get irritated. You keep bringing up the same thing they did.
And now you’re wondering… what does real love actually look like when it’s tested?
Is it just a feeling, or is it something deeper than that?
Let’s see what the Scripture actually says.
“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.”
— 1 Corinthians 13:4–7 (KJV)
“Charity suffereth long, and is kind”
This is where it starts.
Love doesn’t run out quickly. It stays steady under pressure.
Suffereth long means patience that holds on even when it’s stretched.
And it stays kind while doing it.
That’s the part that challenges you.
It’s one thing to endure someone.
It’s another to treat them well while you’re enduring them.
Do you see the difference?
“Envieth not… vaunteth not itself… is not puffed up”
Love isn’t competing.
It’s not looking at someone else and thinking, why do they have that and I don’t?
It’s not trying to prove a point or lift itself up.
There’s no need to win the moment.
Because love isn’t about being seen.
It’s about genuinely caring for the other person.
That goes against how you naturally respond, doesn’t it?
“Seeketh not her own… is not easily provoked”
This cuts deep.
Love doesn’t always push for its own way.
It’s not constantly asking, what about me?
And it doesn’t snap quickly.
That phrase “not easily provoked” means it doesn’t have a short fuse.
Now be honest.
How fast do you react when something doesn’t go your way?
“Thinketh no evil”
This isn’t saying you ignore reality.
It means you don’t keep a running record of wrongs.
You don’t store up every offense and bring it back later.
You don’t assume the worst about someone’s intentions.
That’s a big shift.
Because holding onto those things can feel justified.
But love refuses to build its case like that.
“Rejoiceth in the truth”
Love doesn’t celebrate wrong just because it benefits you.
It doesn’t twist things to make itself look better.
It stays aligned with what’s true.
Even when the truth is uncomfortable.
That’s how you know it’s real.
“Beareth… believeth… hopeth… endureth all things”
This is the full picture.
Love carries weight.
It chooses to believe the best where it can.
It holds onto hope instead of giving up.
And it endures.
Not for a moment.
But over time.
That’s not weak.
That’s strong in a way most people don’t understand.
What’s happening in this chapter
Paul is writing to a church that’s divided.
They’re arguing. Competing. Trying to outdo each other.
Right before this, he talks about spiritual gifts.
But then he shows them something greater.
Without love, none of it matters.
So this passage isn’t just poetic.
It’s corrective.
It shows what they were missing.
Scripture confirms this pattern
Colossians 3:14 says:
“And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.”
And John 13:35:
“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
Love isn’t optional.
It’s the evidence.
Let’s sit in the tension for a moment
When you read this honestly… it exposes things.
You see where you fall short.
Where patience runs thin.
Where irritation shows up fast.
Where you hold onto things longer than you should.
And part of you might feel discouraged.
Like you’re not measuring up.
Is that what you’re feeling right now?
Do you see areas where this hasn’t been true in your life?
That tension is real. And it matters.
What this is actually calling you to
This isn’t just a description.
It’s a direction.
You’re being called to live this out.
Not perfectly overnight.
But intentionally.
In that moment when you feel triggered…
you choose patience instead of reacting.
When you want to bring something up again…
you choose to let it go.
When you feel overlooked…
you choose not to make it about yourself.
That’s where this becomes real.
So when the next moment comes…
What would it look like for you to respond like this instead of how you usually would?
Bringing it together
Love isn’t just what you say.
It’s what shows up when it’s hard.
This is what it looks like in action.
Steady. Patient. Selfless. Enduring.
And this is the love you’ve been shown in Christ.
So here’s the question that stays with you…
Are you defining love by how you feel… or by how you’re choosing to live?
Call to Action: The Question That Demands an AnswerIn Acts 2:37 Peter and the Apostles were asked the question – What Shall We do? And in Acts 2:38 Peter answered, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Do you understand this? After hearing the gospel and believing, they asked what should would do. The answer hasn’t changed friend, Peter clearly gave the answer. The question for you today is, Have you receieved the Holy Spirit Since you believed? If you’re ready to take that step, or you want to learn more about what it means to be born again of water and Spirit, visit: Come, and let the Spirit make you new. |
