1 Corinthians 13:7 – “Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful…”
Jimmy had a group of Christian women praying regularly that Karen would not marry him. Jimmy was a star athlete in high school and had a reputation for partying and womanizing. His friends threw him a bachelor party and he cheated on Karen. Previously, Jimmy had a seared conscience, but in this case, Jimmy woke up and was under conviction. He asked Jesus to save him and the Lord came into his life and told him he would need to give up his friends to get his life back in order. He called Karen and let her know he had cheated. She broke off the marriage. He then went to his friends and told them he was no longer going to party with them. While the women praying against Jimmy and Karen were initially happy, word got around that Jimmy had received Christ and Karen reached out to him again. The two would end up married after all. It was initially a very rough road, but the Lord continued to open Jimmy’s eyes and heart to seeing how to be a husband. Today, Jimmy Evans runs one of the largest ministries for marriage in the world and has touched millions of lives sharing his story of brokenness and how Jesus saved not only him but his marriage with Karen.
Love never gives up. Eyes of faith see the power of Jesus Christ to transform people. We need to ask Jesus for faith to believe that when we pray for people and bless people, God can make them a new creation.
Who have you been talking about in a hopeless and demeaning manner? Ask Jesus to give you eyes of faith and a heart of love to pray with new confidence and hope in His power to transform. Never give up on anyone, especially those who claim the name of Jesus. Rather than talking negatively about people, we need to pray and let God know we’re open to being the answer in approaching people to help.
Heavenly Father, our Lord Jesus Christ, please forgive us for being quick to judge others in a self-righteous manner rather than with faith to believe in your power to transform. Father, help us to pray and bless those who require extra grace knowing you have given us the same. In Jesus’ name, Amen.