October 4 Thought for the day...love that covers and believes

I love the truth of what love is and how it works. I love understanding learning about the way God loves us and the way we should love one another. As Paul begins to wrap up his thoughts on love, he tells us how it functions in very real ways

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

You may be surprised what each of these phrases mean. The word for "bears" actually has more to do with a covering and more with the implication of shielding, protecting, the way a roof covers a house. The heat, cold, rain, and other harsh conditions can't penetrate this covering. Many times in our lives, we battle through all kinds of storms. God's love is there to shield, to guard us, against the storms of life. If we don't have God's shield against these spiritual battles we face, then it becomes very difficult to survive these attacks.

Paul is letting us know that a friend who moves in this type of love is the best kind of friend. They will stand with you in times of trouble covering you, protecting you. Rather than exposing you in a time of trouble that will cover you, protect you to help you through your storm. A little more than what you may have thought, "bears all things means?" We all need people in our lives that will do this for us!

"Believes all things,"The word means to put your faith and trust in someone or something. The tense of the verb is such that it means to not just do it once but to continuously put your faith and trust in someone having a "never give up" attitude. You believe for the best in every situation. God's type of love isn't stupid or blind; it sees the good, the bad, and the ugly. God's love doesn't ignore problems or challenges but chooses to push past them to see the potential in people.

God's love always believes things will turn around. It continually presses forward, believing for the healing, deliverance, freedom, restoration, salvation, and anything else necessary to keep the person you are believing for, right in the middle of God's will!

We all need people like this in our lives, and I hope that you are a person like this to others. If you are struggling with this type of love, remember this is love from God. He will pour it in and through your life if you allow Him.