What Does Unfailing Love Really Mean?
Never Fails. Never Quits. Always works. Always there. Never Changes. Never wavers. That’s the kind of love you can rely on, dear Caregiver, as you journey through your season of caregiving.
But sometimes, it seems as if God is distant and not interested in our journey. We feel overwhelmed, stressed out, and, frankly, not very loved by God.
Even though he promises that his unfailing love will always be our comfort, sometimes, we fall into the trap of woebegone wondering if God REALLY does love us (after all, we’re on an unimaginable journey).
[shareable]Don’t ever become so stuck in expecting to receive love in your preferred ‘love language’ that you miss the other ways God shows his love to you.[/shareable]
The Love Languages Theory
The whole theory of the Five Love Languages, developed by Gary Chapman, proposes that all humans feel love in five different ways: Quality Time, Acts of Service, Words of Affirmation, Physical Touch and Receiving Gifts. We feel most loved when our loved ones love us in one of our top two languages.
The problem occurs when someone we love has different love needs and fails to investigate our needs. They spend all of their time loving us in the language they prefer while we feel resentful and unloved because they aren’t loving us in OUR language.
How often do we think God doesn’t love us when he doesn’t love us the way we think we need to be loved, rather than the way he KNOWS we need to be loved in that moment?
I listed the love languages in the order that they’re important to ME—and upon reflection I understand now why it’s so easy for me to get up at 4:00 am so that I can spend time in personal devotions with God. Duh. It’s my top love language! Somewhere, I read that God wants to call us into a conversation with him every day—yep! Right up my ally!
I also have no problem coming up with ways to serve God and I enjoy reading my Bible and discovering all of the affirming words he has for us (and sharing those affirmations with others). I realize God doesn’t do a lot of personal physical touching these days (although, I have felt the hand of God), and I don’t expect a lot of gifts (although I’m always overjoyed when I feel God has blessed little ol’ me with a gift).
God Desires to Comfort YOU!
What does a person do if their strongest love language is physical touch and affection? Will that person see God as being distant and unapproachable? If that sounds like you, remember that we are God’s arms of love down here on earth. Hug someone. And if someone offers you a hug of solace, think of it as God himself reaching out to provide comfort just when you need it.
If you feel most loved when you receive gifts, and you’re expecting God to pour bountiful blessings into your lap day after day (wealth, prosperity and influence)—think again. He gave his only Son to YOU as a gift. Each day of life is a gift. Every detail of creation is a gift. Look around and count the little gifts as well as the big ones.
God has filled the Bible with words of affirmation—promises to guide us, inspire us and affirm us. He knows the trials you face, and he wants you to know that he thinks you’re doing a wonderful job. He seeks a relationship with you, and he has the words to prove it.
“Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time” James 4:8 (MSG). If quality time speaks love to you, all you have to do is spend quality time with him. He’s ready and waiting. Get up five minutes earlier to spend time talking to God if you have to—even if you’re worn out from caring for a loved one on and off all night. You’ll feel loved the rest of the day.
I challenge you to take the love language test and then to ponder the ways that God unfailingly loves you.
Drop by these posts for more comfort:
31 Days of Comfort for Caregivers
