Dericka Canada Cunningham, GBW Founder
February 19, 2024
This Week's Anchor
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 (NIV)
I know…it’s a bit corny to talk about love in a devotion following Valentine’s Day, but I couldn’t help myself. Hopefully, this perspective opens your heart and inspires you to think about this day differently. I’m sure many of us are thankful that we made it through the explosion of red and pink hearts, signs, candies, and decorations in our local grocery stores. I know I sure am. Though I know it’s coming each year, I’m always caught off guard by the in-your-face commercialization of Valentine’s Day. You may feel the same. Some of you might even roll your eyes at this holiday. However, if we go beyond the oversized stuffed animals and overpriced cards, we can at least use this day to honor one of the most powerful gifts God has given and continues to give us…love.
Our anchor scripture this week is a familiar one for many. Even those who have never opened a Bible might be able to quote, “Love is patient, love is kind…”. An amazing thing about the Word is that it is alive, and any given scripture can reveal something new each time we interact with it, no matter how many times we’ve heard it before. I remember a moment at the beginning of my marriage when this scripture revealed itself differently to me. At that time, it became apparent that Disney had sold us a dream and this thing was going to be quite a journey. Nothing dramatic had occurred, but in the months following my partner and I declaring, “I do”, I realized this joining together through marriage was a bit more complicated than I could imagine. I mean, joining living space, personal goals, and finances were all expected. But how does a couple join in varying anxieties, vulnerabilities, family dynamics/upbringings, and life struggles? As my partner and I waded through those early moments of marriage, one day I came to God in prayer pondering how all this joining would realistically work. As I reflected on all that needed to be worked through and pieced together, the words “love is patient, love is kind” came to mind. I grabbed my Bible and went to this scripture and though I could nearly recite it in my mind before, it became clearer to me in that moment.
Love is patient—I surrender to the process of my loved one’s own personal-spiritual growth alongside my own personal-spiritual growth, and I honor progress over perfection as we grow together.
Love is kind—I lead my conversations and interactions with tenderness and compassion.
Love does not envy—I allow space for my loved one to explore, have freedom, and find themselves in what they love.
Love does not boast and is not proud—I enter conversations with humility. I check my biases and remember that my “house” is glass just like everyone else’s.
Love is not rude/does not dishonor others—I consistently check my head and heart space and I recognize the impact of what I say and do (or don’t say and don’t do) regardless of my intentions.
Love is not self-seeking—I sift myself for my true intentions and adjust when they are poorly guided. I monitor and explore my defensiveness and righteous indignation.
Love is not easily angered; it keeps no record of wrongs—I pause. I listen. And I show grace toward those I love. Forgiveness isn’t an outcome, but an ever-evolving process that I consistently offer over and over again.
Love does not delight in evil—I remember that the battle isn’t of flesh but is spiritual. And I use spiritual tools (i.e., prayer, the Word, community/communion, and conversation and presence with the Holy Trinity) versus fleshly tools to address challenges with my loved one.
Love rejoices in truth—I discern my loved one’s heart, and I ask the Holy Spirit to guide me in seeing my loved one for who they are, including listening beyond the words that they share.
Love always protects—I seek to cover my loved one versus expose their flaws and vulnerabilities
Love always trusts and hopes—I have faith that challenging times won’t last always and I remain connected to the greater purpose of being in relationship with this loved one.
Love always perseveres—I guard the love that I have for my loved one in the same way that I guard my own heart. I pour into my relationship and myself in order to help our love thrive and endure.
This kind of love isn’t limited to romance, and what’s interesting is that as we read our anchor scripture this week and absorb this approach to love, we can easily see God’s love in the very love we are called to give. God’s love is patient and God’s love is kind because God is love (1 John 4:16). When we give love, we are honoring God, because in a way, giving love is giving God. And if this is true, then receiving love is receiving God. See, most of us read this scripture and we think of all the ways we must love others. But love is layered and it’s multidirectional.
Love doesn’t just flow from us, but it can be poured into us. For some of us, our struggle is with receiving love which can bring up a host of challenges in our relationships with others (I will come back to this topic in a future devotion). In addition to this, not only can we give love to and receive it from others, but we can also give love to ourselves. Whitney Houston didn’t completely get it wrong because our anchor scripture doesn’t exclude self-love. Are you patient with and kind to yourself? It’s hard to be patient with others when we are overwhelmed with frustration, shame, and guilt as a result of being impatient with ourselves. This has certainly been true for me—not only in my marriage but also in friendships, family relationships, and relationships with others.
All in all, there are not enough words to express our gratitude to God for His indescribable, gracious, consistent love, and for his sovereign ability to let it flow to and through us. As we move past this rosy holiday into the next, let’s remember that the greatest love of all is multidimensional and rooted in Divine Love. Take a moment this week to nurture your loving relationship with God, your loved ones, and yourself.
Reflection
What is resonating for you about this scripture and/or this devotion?
What are the most challenging aspects of love for you (i.e., being patient, being kind, forgiving, etc.)?
What do you need from the Holy Trinity to help you nurture your relationships with God, yourself, and others?
What intention(s) do you want to set to connect and/or reconnect with being grounded this week?
Related Scriptures to Ground You Through this Week
Matthew 22: 37-39
John 15: 12-14
Galatians 2:19-21
Colossians 3:12-14
2 Timothy 1:7
1 John 4:18-21
My Through-the-Week Reflection Guide
A Song of Inspiration
Quote of Love & Liberation
“When you put love out in the world it travels, and it can touch people
and reach people in ways that we never even expected.”
Laverne Cox
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