25 days ago, I stood in front of God and my loved ones to say “I Do” to my best friend. Being a hopeless romantic, I had longed for a love story and envisioned this day for many, many years. As I reflect back now, just a few weeks later, it’s not the wedding day itself that stands out, but rather the days and months leading up to it.
While David and I were busy preparing for the wedding, God was preparing us for eternity. He had carefully started unraveling what our understanding of love and a “perfect” love story was. After a movie-like proposal, I expected to hear violins in the background as we planned a beautiful wedding together. Instead, we heard each other yelling. There were arguments, misunderstandings, and disagreements. We had known each other for 5 years, and we loved each other, but as we continued to seek God through all the frustration and nuances with wedding planning, we realized that the love that Jesus speaks of, and the love we often understand, have two fundamentally different definitions.
We live in a world where love is defined as a feeling, a sentiment, or an emotion, but the Bible defines love as a conscious decision and a choice—a choice to seek peace and harmony with others. We find this in the bedrock of Jesus’ teaching in John 13:34-35 when he says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this, all people will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.”
God spoke to us through many means, and He gave us three powerful lessons to intentionally love the way He loved us:
EXPECT HARD WORK
If Jesus commands us to love as He loved us, we should logically expect this to be one of the most challenging things we will ever do. Set your standard high on the level of investment and effort your relationships will need in order to grow.
DON’T RETALIATE
The control required to restrain is challenging because we are encouraged by the world to retaliate. When we set Christ as our example instead of following the world, all of our justifications drown in the humility He embodied. Why rely on our actions while they are so limited compared to the mighty hand of God?
STOP TALKING & START PRAYING
Our speech has the power to breathe life or spread destruction. When the conversation is becoming destructive… stop talking! But as we stop talking to others, we need to replace that by continuing that conversation with God.
As I continue to learn how to love from God, I am also learning that this is something I will be honing for the rest of my life here on Earth. I pray David’s and mine experience will be a blessing on your path of loving one another as Jesus loved us.
Isha Zaitz
Promotions Director
Star 99.1
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Awesome ! I to have been praying religiously now every day for my man in Christ to come and I know for a fact he will indeed be coming soon from god and in God’s timing of course! I will be saving this to look back on! God BLESSED..you are🙏
Thank you, Judy! I will be praying that for you as well. <3
Awesome ! I to have been praying religiously now every day for my man in Christ to come and I know for a fact he will indeed be coming soon from god and in God’s timing of course! I will be saving this to look back on! God BLESSED..you are🙏
Thank you, Judy! I will be praying that for you as well. <3
What a wonderful reminder! God bless your marriage
Thank you, Kelly! 🙂
What a wonderful reminder! God bless your marriage
Thank you, Kelly! 🙂
Congratulations on your marriage! And on being so open to learning to love the way Jesus loves!
I smiled knowingly inside as I read your words about realizing you will be honing your love for the rest of your earthly life. Forty years into our marriage I find I am still learning new ways to truly love and appreciate my husband. It’s a very worthwhile and blessed journey.
Thank you for vulnerably sharing your new understandings and separating purely-Hollywood notions from deeper real-life love.
Keep growing more and more in love with both the Lord and your new husband.
Thank you for the encouragement, Karen! Learning to love better is going to be a lifelong journey! 🙂
Congratulations on your marriage! And on being so open to learning to love the way Jesus loves!
I smiled knowingly inside as I read your words about realizing you will be honing your love for the rest of your earthly life. Forty years into our marriage I find I am still learning new ways to truly love and appreciate my husband. It’s a very worthwhile and blessed journey.
Thank you for vulnerably sharing your new understandings and separating purely-Hollywood notions from deeper real-life love.
Keep growing more and more in love with both the Lord and your new husband.
Thank you for the encouragement, Karen! Learning to love better is going to be a lifelong journey! 🙂
Congratulations and much blessings to you and your soulmate I met my husband when I was 14 he was 18 we married when I was 18 he was 22 47 yrs together and 43 yrs married we believe our marriage is surrounded by love of God he’s our center
What a beautiful story & amen! Thanks for sharing!! 🙂
Congratulations and much blessings to you and your soulmate I met my husband when I was 14 he was 18 we married when I was 18 he was 22 47 yrs together and 43 yrs married we believe our marriage is surrounded by love of God he’s our center
What a beautiful story & amen! Thanks for sharing!! 🙂
Awesome. I love nice love story. Especially with Jesus in the center of your marriage. God bless for the days ahead.
Yes! He certainly is our center. Thank you so much for your prayers. <3
Awesome. I love nice love story. Especially with Jesus in the center of your marriage. God bless for the days ahead.
Yes! He certainly is our center. Thank you so much for your prayers. <3
Hi Isha, you made some very good points in your article. Thank you. Though I have been happily married to my wife for 44 years, believe me, we are far from perfect and sometimes still struggle to love and support each other. Pam and I send our love and wish you and David many blessings. Meanwhile, I’m happy to read your words again and model your wise thinking and spiritual leading.
Ed! Thank you so much for the wishes and love. You have always been a beacon of encouragement.Please send my love to Pam and your family as well 🙂
Hi Isha, you made some very good points in your article. Thank you. Though I have been happily married to my wife for 44 years, believe me, we are far from perfect and sometimes still struggle to love and support each other. Pam and I send our love and wish you and David many blessings. Meanwhile, I’m happy to read your words again and model your wise thinking and spiritual leading.
Ed! Thank you so much for the wishes and love. You have always been a beacon of encouragement.Please send my love to Pam and your family as well 🙂
Dear Isha,
Such beautiful and REAL observations that apply not only to spouses, but also to family members – as we (hopefully safely) gather together to give thanks this week and through the holidays. To have lasting love in your life always means willing compromise, continued sharing and open (sometimes difficult) communication – even when we’d rather have our way or shut down. It’s often said that we tend to be harshest on those we love most because we doubt they’ll walk away. May we always remember that they can, and may we forever use Jesus’ loving example to stop talking, listen, and pray… to keep peace and love growing strong. Very best wishes to you and David for a blessed marriage and long joyful lives together.
What a beautiful prayer Karen! You are absolutely right. It is definitely something we need to apply to all of our relationships. Thank you for the blessings. 🙂
Dear Isha,
Such beautiful and REAL observations that apply not only to spouses, but also to family members – as we (hopefully safely) gather together to give thanks this week and through the holidays. To have lasting love in your life always means willing compromise, continued sharing and open (sometimes difficult) communication – even when we’d rather have our way or shut down. It’s often said that we tend to be harshest on those we love most because we doubt they’ll walk away. May we always remember that they can, and may we forever use Jesus’ loving example to stop talking, listen, and pray… to keep peace and love growing strong. Very best wishes to you and David for a blessed marriage and long joyful lives together.
What a beautiful prayer Karen! You are absolutely right. It is definitely something we need to apply to all of our relationships. Thank you for the blessings. 🙂