Love {1 Corintians 13:4-7, 13}

I'm not sure about where this post will go, but I need to get some thoughts out.  Please bear with me, or feel free to skip this post if you would like.  No crafts or recipes here.

Love.  Love has been on my mind a lot lately.  What is love?  Who deserves love?  Why does love leave?  Why is it so hard on Marriages that were built with love to work and last?  Why does abuse happen between people who love one another?  Does love end?

For years now I have been surrounded by family and friends who are having troubles in their marriages.  Some are unhappy with their partner.  Their partner has changed, or perhaps both people in the marriage have changed.  Some are being hurt and abused by their partner.  Physical, verbal, mental abuse.  And of course we can't forget about infidelity.  The divorce rates for Military members are astounding.  And these things are happening in marriages that are Christians and in church, as well as non believers.  It breaks my heart.

I do not understand why love has to be so hurtful and hard.   I keep being brought back to this passage in the Bible.

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous;
love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly;
it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,
does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;
bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails...But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7,13

I have been reading this passage in my bible for a few weeks now, and I get it. It seems like every time I read it, I learn something more about love. I want to break this down. 

Love is patient.  To me this means that love is willing to give as much as necessary to the other person.  It is unconditional in time and understanding. 

Love is kind and is not jealous.  This to me means that love does not give something and expect something in return.  It only wants the best for the person. 

Love does not brag and is not arrogant.  This means that love is a graceful love.  It is uplifting. 

Love does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own.  This means that love is not inappropriate, in any since of the word.  It is not morally wrong.  It looks for what others are wanting, rather than what you want. 

Love is not provoked.  This means love does not manipulate others or itself.  It does not seek to harm itself or others. 

Love does not take into account a wrong suffered.  This means that love is forgiving.  It does not keep track of what wrongs were done. 

Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth.  Love is truthful.  It it hurts it is meant to hurt in a loving, truthful way.  Not by lying about actions that will harm one another. 

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  This means that love is unconditional.  Love will be there no matter the circumstances.  No matter the hurt.  No matter the problems. 

Love never fails.  Love is meant to last a lifetime.  Love will always be there. 

But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.  Even when faith and hope are gone.  There will still be love because it is undying.  Love is unfailing.  Love is love.  There is no end to it. 

I am saddened that America is giving up so easily on their loves and their marriages.  And I am saddened that abuse is getting to be regular in our homes.  What if God's love gave up on us?  What if God did not give us grace?  Where would we be?  We need to pray for our homes and our marriages.  I am shown more in my own marriage what love is.  God has truly blessed me with a caring, loving, patient, kind, giving, man and so much more.  I honestly couldn't ask for more. 

I'm sorry if I bored you.  But I do feel better for getting it out and on "paper".  Sometimes you just need to "write" what you are feeling.  Get it out. 

Thanks for reading.  I pray all of your loves are blessed.