Weekly Devotional
Love Conquers the Calendar
Love Conquers the Calendar "So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her." - Genesis 29:20 (NIV) One of the most difficult parts of standing for your marriage is, without a doubt, time. The struggle we face when it comes to how long our stand is going to be can be crucial. Time can often feel like an overwhelming opponent to your stand where days turn into weeks, weeks into months, and sometimes even years pass by, leaving you with doubts and questions about when or if restoration will ever come. I’m willing to bet the fact that I just mentioned the word years triggered some of you greatly, and the concept of your promises taking a great deal of time is something that brings great anxiety and fear to you. But allow me to share with you one of my favorite verses that can destroy this entire concept of being afraid of time. Let’s draw inspiration from the story of Jacob and Rachel in Genesis 29:20. Jacob’s unwavering love for Rachel allowed him to persevere through seven long years of labor, a period that felt as though it had passed in the blink of an eye. Today, I want to explore how love can conquer the discouraging calendar of time and sustain you through the waiting season of standing for your marriage restoration. Jacob’s love for Rachel was so profound that the seven years he spent working to win her as his bride felt like mere days. How? Love! His love made the passage of time inconsequential in comparison to the depth of his affection for her. Similarly, in your journey of standing for your marriage, the love you hold for your spouse can transcend the discouragement that comes with the passing calendar days. No doubt, the waiting period for restoration can be grueling. It’s a time when doubts and discouragement often creep in, and the enemy’s lies attempt to undermine your faith. But just as Jacob endured seven years for Rachel’s love, you too can endure the trials of waiting when motivated by your steady love for your spouse. Jacob’s commitment to love led him to serve for seven years, and then another seven years, for the woman he cherished. In your stand for marriage restoration, God can provide you with the grace to stand for as long as it takes. Do not be swayed by the enemy’s tactics that aim to convince you otherwise. You possess the same grace that empowered Jacob to persevere. In fact, as Christians, you have a greater ability to persevere because you have the Holy Spirit living in you when Jacob did not. The calendar may mark the passage of time, but love defies it. As you stand in faith, your love for your spouse can conquer the discouragement that often accompanies a lengthy restoration journey. Your love can keep you focused on the promise of reconciliation rather than the limitations of time. If you ask Christine or me, we will both tell you that now that we are on the other side of restoration, the length of time we were apart feels like just a brief season of our past. Yes, it was almost two years, but because of the love I had for Christine, it truly felt like a couple of days. When the calendar used to fill me with discouragement, I just tapped into the supernatural love that God had for Christine and my family. In your stand for marriage restoration, do not listen to the lies of the enemy. He may try to scare you and tell you that you cannot endure the length of time needed to see restoration. But remember Jacob’s heart: “because of his love for her.” Love gives you the strength to persevere, to keep believing, and to defy the discouraging calendar. So today, as you stand and believe in the restoration of your marriage, let love be your guiding force. Allow your love for your spouse to conquer the calendar that measures time, and trust that God’s timing is perfect. Just as Jacob’s love for Rachel made seven years feel like mere days, your love can make the waiting season of restoration seem brief in the grand scheme of things. Reject the lies of discouragement, and hold fast to the promise that love, fueled by faith, will overcome the calendar!
