Love does not Insist on its Own Way

1 Corinthians 13:5- Love does not insist on its own way, it is not irritable or resentful.

Most of us can quote 1 Corinthians 13. We identify it as the love chapter and often return to its truths when our love is faltering. This past week I was personally struggling with something, but I couldn’t pin what was ungodly about my desires. Without going into too much detail but still allowing myself to be vulnerable with you all, I was wanting to be loved a specific way and felt mistreated when I didn’t receive that. Is it wrong for me to desire relational love? No. Is it wrong for my heart’s emotions to fluctuate based on me not getting what I want? Absolutely. “Love does not insist on its own way.”

I was slowly reading and meditating through 1 Corinthians 13 when my eyes truly were illuminated to the sin in my heart that I was not recognizing. I went into that time of reading with a prayerful heart for God to reveal my sin, and by the end of that morning, I was crying over how sinful I am and asking God to give me grace to possess genuine love to magnify Him and glorify Him more.

You see, it is far too easy for us to be unaware of the intentions of our hearts. We can be unaware when we fall captive to the trap of seeking our own way. God is so gracious and good in giving us His word to help transform our inner man and change us from glory to glory as we intently look within (2 Corinthians 3:18). It is comforting to think that God’s word is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, even when we may not initially see it (Hebrews 4:12). God’s word is powerful. God’s love is supernatural. His grace is changing me. I hope you can testify to that truth as well.

May we all cling to Christ and His empowering strength to give us victory over our transgressions as we remember who we are in Him. He is sufficient. His grace gives us this divine enablement to live in light of our union with Him.