EMPOWERING LIVES WITH PURPOSE:
As the United States celebrates a month of love including Valentine’s Day we share with you a time of “love” in the air. This devotion today comes from one of our leaders. Cindy Southworth is a relationship coach dealing with love inside relationships from a biblical viewpoint. Hope anyone who may be in a love relationship can glean truth from this writing today.
“Love is in the Air”
By Cindy Jacob Southworth
February ushers in an atmosphere of LOVE. Hearts and flowers appear everywhere, and love is in the air.
Or is it? I recently read that marriages are more likely to fail due to apathy than adultery. Wait, what? Apathy is indifference. Does this mean that our hearts have grown cold?
Jesus taught us in Matthew 24:12-13: There will be such an increase of the sin of lawlessness that those whose hearts once burned with passion for God and others will grow cold. But hold your hope firmly to the end and you will experience life and deliverance. (TPT)
If my heart has grown cold towards God, then it will most certainly start to grow cold towards others. This will lead to apathy.
The antidote is to be intentional. If I put my focus on God, and His love for me, my heart will soften, and I will begin to look at my spouse differently. It’s not about hearts and flowers – it’s about loving your spouse the way Jesus loves your spouse.
Ask God to help you see your spouse through spiritual glasses – to give you empathy to love him well. True love is “large and incredibly patient. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance. Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honor. Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense. Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong. Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up. Love never stops loving.” (I Cor. 13:4-8 TPT)
The best gift you can give your spouse this Valentine’s Day is to love him well. This is what leads to a long-lasting marriage.
Happy Valentines Day to our sisters around the world and please know that God LOVES YOU unconditionally.