The Love Dare A Journey
Pastor Mitch Mosier is sharing his journey with us.
I took the “Love Dare” not because I have a bad marriage or an average marriage. The truth is I have a marriage made in heaven.
My wife and I have been married for 22 years.
So what prompted me to do this? It was the result of a simple prayer, I prayed one day.
I prayed “Lord let your power flow through me in a more significant way.”
I listened for the Lord to tell me the answer to what I’ve been praying for and the response I heard was out of Gen 1:26
“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:…. I thought on that for a few days and the Holy Spirit prompted me to remember that “after our likeness” meant to function like God. I asked the Lord to show me how to function like Him. He reminded me that His Word tells us in 1 John 4:8 that God is Love. I understood that in order to function like Him, I must walk in love.
The answer to this prayer resulted in taking the “Love Dare”. I made the “Love Dare” my forty day journey. I am submitting to the Lord so he can teach me as I read through this “dare”. I put the statements from the book in quotations that especially spoke to me.
1Co 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
1Co 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
1Co 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
1Co 13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
1Co 13:5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
1Co 13:6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
1Co 13:7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
1Co 13:8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
Day 1 – Love is patient
Eph. 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
My Notes:
Saying nothing negative to my spouse is the first dare. Patience has to rule.
“Love empowers.” What a powerful statement! The Bible says in Romans 5:8 “But
God commendth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died
for us.” It was God’s love for me that made me what I am today. His love has
empowered me to succeed. When I love my wife, that same love can cause her to
succeed.
“Love is built on two pillars” Patience and Kindness. “Patience brings an internal calm during an external storm.” No one likes to be around an impatient person. There have been times that I have been impatient with my spouse. “When you choose to be patient, you respond in a positive way to a negative situation.” How true, patience can help you from making rash decisions or saying something you regret later. A lack of patience can turn a situation into a heated argument. I like what the Bible says in Proverbs 15:18 “A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.”
My home can be a hotbed of controversy or it can heaven on earth. I will follow what God’s Word says in 1 Thessalonians 5:15, “See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
I did not have anything that was negative today about my spouse. I prayed this prayer. Lord let me always remember that you never had any disparaging words for me when I make mistakes. Your always patient with me.
Day 2 – Love is Kind
Ephesians 4:32 “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
My Notes:
The dare today is to do an unexpected gesture or act of kindness for my wife.
“Patience avoids a problem; kindness creates a blessing.”
One is preventative, the other proactive.”
I have never seen anyone as kind as my wife. Her kindness is genuine and attracts my attention. Her kindness has truly been a blessing to our marriage and home. This is one of the things that I believe is what causes our marriage to be so good.
What act of kindness did I show today? I asked the Lord and he told me this….Prov. 31:28 “Her children arise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.” I sat Kathy down and told her what a wonderful wife she was how much I appreciated her for ALL the things she does. I praised her and told her how much I loved her. It’s not often I praise her. I will praise her more often to show kindness.
Day 3 – Love is not selfish
Rom 12:10 Be kindly affectionate one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
The dare today required that I do something that said “I was thinking of you today.”
My Notes:
I asked myself these questions:
· Do I truly want what’s best for my wife?
· Do I want them to feel loved by me?
· Do they believe I have their best interests in mind?
· Do they see me as looking out for myself first?
I looked at God’s example. He did what was best for me. When He was one the cross, He had me on his mind. He had my best interest in mind. The Bible says in Eph 5:1 “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;” The word follow in the Greek means to imitate God. I am to imitate God. He showed His love to me, therefore, I can imitate Him and show His love to my spouse. I have my wife’s best interest in mind. I would her to succeed.
What did I do for the dare today? I went out and got Kathy a book. She loves to read. I gave it to her and told her I loved her. I was thinking of her today.
Php 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.