Skip to main content

Love That Conquers All

"But I thought my love could change him!  Isn't love supposed to conquer all?"

I've heard almost these exact words from more than one woman, including myself. Some women (like myself in the past) naturally gravitate towards men whom I call "fixer-uppers." We are convinced that if we just love him enough or sacrifice enough, our love can somehow make him a better man.

My dear sister, this is very far from true.

Your love can do very little in the grand scheme of things. It can (and should) point to the Love that can truly conquer all. At best, your love can merely be a reflection of God's love, but it does not have the power to redeem or transform.

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us." (1 John 4:7-12, 16-19 ESV)


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

He Is Enough

Though barren wastelands I travel through, Though darkening hour should cover me, Though my strength is e'er weakening still, I know my God will hold me. No earthly possessions do I own, No place to settle, still. Though survival seems an e'er present theme, I know my God shall sustain me. I have been brought low, But my battered heart yet beats. My life seems shattered into pieces, But I know my God will heal me. He is enough to guide my paths. He is enough to light my way. He is enough to hold me up, And provide my every need. He is enough to be my only Home And make me flourish where I am. He is enough, He is my All-in-All. He is my Rock And guiding hand. He is enough. - Carey D.

Letter to My Daughter

My Darling Daughter, You're only three right now, so I know I have many years before we can have this conversation face-to-face. There are some things I want to tell you… some things I learned the hard way. Take your time.  I know you'll want to grow up as quickly as possible and move on to the next phase of life, but take it from me - enjoy where you are. Time goes by so quickly and you should never rush through life. You miss so much. Slow down, take a breath, and appreciate where you are this very moment. Good things will come to you in their own time. Know yourself.  While you're taking your time, get to know yourself. Know what you like and don't like. Find what you're passionate about and chase after that. Don't base your opinions on what someone else thinks - not even me. Your thoughts and opinions are your own. Keep it that way. Any person who tries to change you isn't worth your time. You should  never  have to change who you are for another person....

Stretched

On occasion, I have days when I feel like I just can't go anymore. I just want to crawl back into bed with a box of donuts and Netflix. I don't want anyone to need me. I'm done being Wonder Woman. Mommy needs a time out and a long nap... b ut there are long work days, kids to pick up from school, errands to run, little mouths clamoring  to be fed, baths to be given, homework to be done, lunches to pack, and laundry to fold. Then it starts all over again in the morning.  Throw in a nasty strep infection and you've got a complete trifecta of exhaustion. I think Bilbo Baggins described the feeling best: "I feel thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread." As I tucked the kids into bed, croaking at the smaller ones to get back into bed for the fifth time, my six-year-old looked up at me with his large, blue eyes. "Mom, can I pray tonight?" "Sure, sweetie." "Dear God, please heal my mommy. Thank you for her h...