Love Never Fails
READ
We've heard today’s verses read at countless weddings, often romanticized into something beautiful but distant. But Paul isn't writing poetry here—he's giving us a blueprint for faithful love in real relationships with real, imperfect people.
Let’s take a moment to read 1 Corinthians 13:4-8:
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
REFLECT
Look at how practical this is: patient, kind, not envious, not boastful, not proud. These aren't feelings; they're actions. They're choices you make in the mundane moments—when your friend cancels plans again, when your family member criticizes you, when your colleague takes credit for your idea.
Faithfulness in relationships isn't about waiting for the perfect person; it's about being full of faith that God can help you love imperfect people consistently.
The phrase "love never fails" doesn't mean love prevents all failures or guarantees specific outcomes. It means faithful love doesn't stop. It keeps its allegiance. It remains steadfast.
Even when others fail you, even when you fail yourself, love that's rooted in God's character continues.
Here's what trips us up: we think faithfulness means never struggling with irritability, never feeling envious, always feeling patient. But that's perfection, not faithfulness. Faithfulness is choosing patience again after you've been impatient. It's refusing to keep a record of wrongs, even when your memory is excellent. It's protecting others' reputations, even when gossip is tempting.
This kind of love requires supernatural power because it goes against our natural instinct for self-protection. When someone hurts us, we want to build walls. When someone succeeds, we battle envy. When someone fails, we're tempted to say "I told you so."
Faithful love does the opposite—it keeps stepping toward people, it celebrates their wins, it bears their burdens.
The secret? This passage isn't ultimately about human love—it's about God's love working through us. We can love faithfully because we've been loved faithfully. God's love for you has never failed, which means you have an unlimited supply to draw from as you love others.
RESPOND
Take a moment to process what God might be leading you to do in light of what you read.
Which aspect of love in this passage do you struggle with most consistently, and what does that reveal about where you need God's help?
Who in your life needs you to love them faithfully right now, even when it's not easy?
How does remembering God's unfailing love for you change your ability to love others without keeping score?
REST
Take a moment to rest in God’s presence and consider one thing you can take away from your time reading, then close your devotional experience by praying:
God, Your love for me never fails, even when I fail constantly. Fill me with that same faithful love for the people in my life. Help me to be patient when I want to be irritated, kind when I want to be harsh, and humble when I want to be proud. Teach me that faithfulness isn't perfection but persistent love that keeps showing up. Amen.