Love is: patient, and kind, and it’s not envious, doesn’t boast, it’s not proud, it does not dishonor others, it’s not self-seeking, it’s not easily angered, it does not keep records of wrongs, it is happy about the truth, it always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres because love never fails.
Hmmmp...but what if love does fail? Like, what if love isn’t so patient and kind, and jealously creeps in, or it does get mad, and dishonors someone, or disregards someone, and score cards are kept, and it’s wrapped in lies and deceit, and it doesn’t protect, and trust is broken, and you have no hope to persevere? What if all the love that two people shared did fail...then what?
Sometimes life comes at us fast, real fast. When we are faced with difficult situations and circumstances especially as it relates to matters of the heart, often times we find ourselves fumbling around in a foggy valley. In that valley, it’s hard as hell to see, you aren’t sure which way to go because this place is not familiar, you don’t feel safe, you don’t feel protected. But for me, one of the worst things about being in that valley is not being able to catch my breathe - whew chile that air is dank and thick. I seem to choke on the difficult situations and circumstances that life has now presented me with. So I stand there in that dark, foggy valley struggling to see, struggling to breathe - trying so very hard to just catch my breathe. Now I know I’m not the only one who has experienced some valley moments in life; stuck, begging God to take all the pain away, and thinking why would God bring me to this place that I absolutely hate - WHY?
But just like the good father that he is, after a while of allowing me to try to figure out which way to go on my own, He gives me a “nudge”: turn this way, stop, take a deep breathe, look over there there’s some fresh water. Those “nudges” remind me that God is right there with me in that valley, He’s actually been with me the entire time. Those nudges also remind me that if I just invite Him into those difficult situations and circumstances, He will take care of me and all the hard life stuff. So I make a step towards surrender to what God’s plan is for those valley moments...those moments when love does fails. Though we do not understand why and how and what to do, one thing we can be forever sure of is:
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing, He gives me rest in green pastures, He leads me beside quite waters, and He restores my whole soul, He guides me along the right paths because He is a good, good father And when I find myself in those dark valley moments, I don’t have to fear because He’s right there with me protecting and comforting me Those who meant me evil, God will turn it around for my good and they will have a front row seat to watch He anoints my head with oil, and my cup overflows He assures me that goodness and love will follow me for the rest of my life And that I will dwell in His house forever
Now to answer the question, what do you do if love fails? I simply hear God saying TRUST ME.
So when Michelle shared her story and her heart in Freedom to Love After the Hurt, I found encouragement, healing, and a tremendous amount of hope in her testimony of overcoming. If you are currently walking through a valley moment in your life, I pray this testimony provides a gleamer of hope for you in whatever circumstances you may be facing. But I am certain this heartfelt book will show you that absolutely nothing is too hard for God, if we simply TRUST HIM.
