Love is Impossible

"I am the vine, ye are the branches:

He that abideth in me,

and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit:

for without me ye can do nothing."

~John 15:5~

Have you discovered the secret in your marriage and in The Love Dare? Have you ever discovered how it is impossible to carry out love in your marriage quite like you had hoped?

There are couples who never argue and likely they came into marriage far ahead of most of us. For me, marriage has been an area where I discovered how short I fell from God's standards for my life. No matter how I try, I cannot seem to do it. Why?

The secret is that you cannot work up unconditional or agape love out of your own heart. It is just simply impossible!! Unconditional love is something that can only come from God. The only way that we can demonstrate agape love is with God's love flowing through us. Otherwise, it is totally beyond our capabilities.

You may have learned to show kindness or consideration to some degree, but to sincerely love someone unselfishly and unconditionally is something that can only happen when God's love is lived through us.

We want to believe it is us loving unconditionally, but it is not since that is impossible. We don't want to see ourselves the way we really are. 

How many times did you blow up or become impatient after you thought you would never ever act in such a way? We all fall short of God's commands and at some point demonstrated selfishness, hatred, and pride. God is the source for the kind of love we want to show our husband. We must totally rely on His strength, otherwise, we fall short!!

At best, it is disappointing to realize that the kind of love we would like to have is out of our reach. Here we all thought if we did what this post says, or that post, or book, we would reach the level of love and intimacy in our marriages. Not so!!

You need someOne Who can give you that kind of love!!

"If you abide in me,

and my words abide in you,

ye shall ask what ye will,

and it shall be done unto you."

~John 15:7~

Here is the secret:

• Surrender to Christ: his power can work through you.
• Even at your very best, you are not able to live up to God's standards.

"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above

all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,"

~Ephesians 3:20~

• That is how you love your husband!!
• You simply won't be able to do it without the Holy Spirit!!
• There is a happy ending for those who will stop resisting and will receive the love God has for them (The Love Dare, page 93)
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Maybe you haven't given your heart to Christ, but you sense Him drawing you to him today. You may be realizing for the first time that you have broken His commands and need Him to abide and live His life through you.

If you have strayed away from God, but know you have asked Him in the past to live in your heart, you may renew your relationship with Him right now. Just ask!!

"And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."

~Romans 5:5~

Look back over the Dares from previous days.

Were there some that seemed impossible to you?

Have you realized your need for God to change your heart

and to give you the ability to love?

Ask Him to show you where you stand with Him,

and ask for the strength and grace to settle your eternal destination.

~The Love Dare, page 94~

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In Christ Alone,

~Judith~