A Love that Bears All Things

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. - 1 Corinthians 13: 7

Lately I have been thinking a lot about the practice of love. Despite all of my efforts to focusing on what Christ's love means for me and the nature of love, do I actually apply these things to my life daily? I love how Farrell's post yesterday reminded us about the vast extent of the Lord's power and grace in forgiving our sins. Focusing on the ways that Christ bears with me in my sins reminded me that the Lord call us to bear with others in love.

First of all, I wanted to focus on how exactly Christ's love for us is a love that bears all things (thinking a lot about Christ's love certainly isn't a bad thing, as it serves as a perfect model for what our love should look like!). Most importantly, Christ has born our sins and shortcomings on the cross so that we can be in perfect relationship with Him. Additionally, the Lord promises to bear our daily burdens (Psalm 68:19). If the Lord's love for us looks like this, what should our love for others look like? I believe that a love that bears all things forgives others for their shortcomings and helps them through their struggles.

Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. - Galatians 6:2

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. - Colossians 3: 12-14

Practically, how can we demonstrate this love that bears all things to others? I don't know about you, but I am often quick to judge others when I notice their shortcomings and tend to often only love those that are easy to love. Instead of condemning others for their failings, a love that bears calls us to carry the struggles of others and forgive them for their shortcomings. It calls us to admit that others are just as failed and flawed as we are. A love that bears calls us to demonstrate Christ's bearing love to others. I pray that today we can all identify someone in our lives who we are challenged to love and pray about ways that we can forgive them and help them bear their own burdens and struggles!