March 16
The Endurance
of Love
1 Corinthians 13:7
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Daily Steps
The final key to finding peace in your relationships is understanding the endurance of love. Practical love is not a feeling that comes and goes; it is an active choice to remain committed and engaged, especially when things are difficult. This verse describes love's four powerful actions that secure peace and unity.
For a new believer, these actions define your service and commitment:
Always Protects: Love builds a hedge of safety around the other person, guarding their reputation and their well-being.
Always Trusts: Love chooses to believe the best about the other person, reducing suspicion and anxiety.
Always Hopes: Love maintains a positive outlook for the future of the person and the relationship, even when circumstances are challenging.
Always Perseveres: Love keeps going. It doesn't give up after the first failure or offense. Perseverance is the spiritual muscle that ensures the longevity of your peace and your relationships.
When you commit to the endurance of love—to protecting, trusting, hoping, and persevering—you move your relationships from the shaky ground of emotion to the solid foundation of Christ-like action, securing lasting peace.
Reflective Question
Which of love's four enduring actions (protects, trusts, hopes, perseveres) does one of your current relationships require most from you right now? How can you actively choose that action today?
Prayer
Lord, thank You for the model of enduring love that you show me every day. I pray for the strength to let my love be a stable foundation for my relationships.
Help me to consciously choose to protect, trust, hope, and persevere. May the peace of this committed, enduring love flow through me to build unity in my community. Amen.
