Love Is Not A Feeling, It Is An Action
Love Is Not a Feeling—It Is an Action
We live in a world that often defines love by fleeting emotions. Hollywood tells us that love is passion, butterflies, and sparks. Social media sells us images of perfect couples wrapped up in romantic bliss. But for the rest of us living in the real world—a husband, father, a wife, mother friend, or neighbor—love is not just a feeling. It is a decision. It is a discipline. It is an action.
Feelings come and go, but real love is revealed in the choices we make daily. The Bible doesn't define love as an emotional high; it describes love as something that does.
Love Is Patient, Kind, and Active
Paul’s famous words in 1 Corinthians 13:4–7 remind us what love actually does:
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud... It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
Notice those verbs: is patient, is kind, protects, trusts, hopes, perseveres. These are actions. Love is a verb. It moves. It sacrifices. It endures.
Love Forgives When It Hurts
In Colossians 3:13, Paul writes:
“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
Forgiveness isn’t something we feel our way into—it’s a hard, intentional choice. That’s real love. When your spouse frustrates you, your child disobeys, or your friend betrays you—love chooses to forgive.
Love Shows Up, Even When It’s Hard
John 15:13 says:
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
This verse captures the very essence of sacrificial love. Jesus didn’t wait until it felt easy or convenient to love—He gave Himself up because it was needed. That’s the model for all of us.
For husbands, this means leading with humility, serving their families selflessly, and being present emotionally and spiritually—even after long days at work or during seasons of personal stress. It means stepping into the role of protector, not just in physical ways, but through prayer, wisdom, and steady support.
For wives, this kind of love looks like choosing respect, nurturing the emotional and spiritual heartbeat of the home, and staying committed through difficult seasons. It’s wiping tears, managing responsibilities, forgiving offenses, and encouraging her husband when he feels defeated. Just like Christ, she lays down her own desires for the sake of her family—not out of obligation, but out of a heart of devotion.
Both husband and wife reflect Christ when they choose to show up with love that acts, even when the feelings aren’t strong. In a godly marriage, love is not just a shared emotion—it’s a daily choice to serve one another the way Jesus served us.
Love Is Faithfulness in the Mundane
Love is choosing to speak kindly instead of sarcastically. It's waking up early to make breakfast. It's holding your tongue during an argument. It's reading bedtime stories, doing dishes, and texting your spouse “I love you” even when they are in the other room.
That kind of love doesn’t make headlines. But it transforms homes.
When Feelings Fade, Love Endures
Let’s be honest—there will be days when the “feeling” of love fades. That’s not a sign to quit; it’s a sign to dig deeper. Real love is tested in discomfort. But if you keep choosing love through action, the feelings often return, deeper and more grounded than before.
Learn to Love Like No Other
You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be present. Every act of love—small or great—is a brick in the foundation of something unshakable. A spouse in a strong marriage doesn’t wait to feel love before acting; they choose to love, and lets the feelings follow.
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