Relationships - Faith Hope Love

The absolute key to successful relationships – Faith, Hope, Love

Somebody said, “That sounds a lot like the Bible.” In fact, it is from the Bible. 1 Corinthians 13:13 - "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

 Even if you’re one who does not accept the Bible literally, you must admit that there is some compelling logic in these words for anybody who pursues good relationships.

Faith - confidence or trust in a person or thing: faith in another's ability; not necessarily based on proof. In any relationship, you must have faith (believe) in this relationship with your partner; your spouse; your friend; your child; your parent. Believe that great things can happen because you two are together. Believe that things will work out. Believe that you will find what you’re looking for together. It’s faith that allows you to set high expectations for the relationship. It’s a heartfelt belief.

Hope - the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best. Hope is what gets you up and out each day – you have the feeling that it’s all going to work out. Hope, coupled with faith, will carry you over the rough spots and through the deep water to a secure footing on the other side. Hope tells you things will get better. Love - a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person or a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend.

Love is the glue of the relationship. Love is the force that compels you to defend your relationship and the individual against all attackers.

I'm still reading World War II non-fiction. I learned over the weekend that probably the most common basis for awarding the Medal of Honor (our highest ranking medal for valor) to Marines in the Pacific battles was throwing one's body on a live grenade to protect his comrades.

Are you willing to take a grenade for your spouse? Your child? Your friend? If you are, it’s the love you have for them that always puts their needs before your own.

The verse describes love as the most durable of the three characteristics. It’s love that is the driving energy in the relationship when your faith gets buffeted by circumstances. It’s love that makes you keep looking for the peaks when hope has deserted you in the dark valleys. It’s love that sustains you when attacks from either from your partner or others.

It’s a one-way street 

Faith, hope, and love in the context here are outgoing features. They describe you; not your partner. In the 100% - 100% ratio that we talked about in an earlier post, you’re responsible for all the faith, hope, and love in your relationship. That’s all you have any control over. If you partner carries their 100% well, then you have an incredibly strong relationship.

If you struggle with your faith, your hope, and your love in any relationship, take a look at the thoughts that weigh heavily on your attitudes. You don’t have to let yourself be drawn by doubts, low expectations, and low esteem for your partner. You get to decide whether the relationship is strong enough. You get to take control of any negative thinking that you have. You get to choose whether you will listen to negativity of whether you will be true to faith, hope, and love.

If you have trouble with that choice, Finding Personal Peace can help you.

To an awesome relationship,
 
www.findingpersonalpeace.com

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