By Amy Kopecky

As most of us do, I dove headfirst into motherhood without knowing much about its waters. There’s no tip-toeing into this thing - it’s a full-body immersion, and the longer you’re in it, the deeper and wider the sea goes. You can read thousands of books about it, talk to the most seasoned of mothers and buy out the baby stores, and still nothing can prepare you for the shock of the plunge.

Now I’m ten years down the road and still feel that the scariest thing to face in motherhood is total vulnerability. Any relationship requires a risky jump. You throw yourself into the world or the heart of another person and you hold your breath and you love with faith.
 
But we all know that this world is painful, and the afterpains can make you wonder if it’s worth it.
 
Recently our family had one of THOSE nights. You know the kind. Everyone’s cranky, calling names, kicking and scratching (Jonathan really needs to cut his nails) and I completely lost my patience. By bedtime, everyone was exhausted. But as God would have it, our devotional reading was from 1 Corinthians 13, and this is what I read to the tense room once the kids were tucked in (nice and tight!) in bed.
 
“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.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-7

I read the first words, “Love is patient,” and God completely turned my insides out. I had NOT been patient. LOUD WORDS had been had. And wow did I feel the Holy Spirit speaking loudly to me now! So after I finished reading, I apologized for not being patient. After some quiet, another child apologized for something they had done, and then another. I felt the anger and tension deflate from the bedroom like a balloon and God’s peace was left in its place. Then we got to talk about God’s unconditional forgiveness.
 
In any relationship, it can be hard to be vulnerable or patient with your loved person when you’re angry or just plain don’t understand them. But our comfort is this: Jesus took the ultimate plunge, leaving his Father in comfortable heaven to love us—SINNERS—who he knew would betray him and reject him and kill him.

And he still did it because we are worth it to him. 

Who needs your vulnerable love today? Whether it’s your children, a difficult friend, or a co-worker of whom you’re envious, may Jesus’ patience and love fill you with the patience to keep on loving them. 
Because, “love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” And Jesus will never give up on you. 

Dear Jesus, fill me with your patience, courage, and faith to love like you love. Amen. 



Disclaimer: Please understand that God doesn’t require you to stay in an abusive relationship. If you are in an unsafe situation, please contact the church office or a professional who can help you find the support you need.