I grew up watching a lot of Disney movies. That’s a whole heap of lads and ladies swooning over each other. Beautiful ballroom gowns swooshing across the floor as they dance, riding off into the sunset and living happily ever after. Forever a day dreamer, I wondered what it must be like to be swept up in romance.
Now I haven’t spent any time living in a palace or sitting on a horse clinging to a prince, but I have been fortunate enough to fall in love – the kind of love that makes it impossible to wipe the smile from your face even when it hurts to keep smiling! The kind that makes your heart ache because it is so full. I understand now what it feels like to get lost in someone’s eyes and forget that the rest of the world is still there. Romance in real life looks rather different than those classic movies, yet still as magical.
Of course, every movie has a villain, or least some kind of obstacle that needs to be overcome for love to succeed. Say you’re walking through life hand in hand when suddenly you hit a roadblock – perhaps somebody trying to break you up, or you’ve come to realise you have opposing points of view on a key area of life. Problems have the power to bring you closer together or push you further apart. You can allow them to separate you, or make you even more committed to staying a team.
Many people consider the Bible to be nothing but a fairy tale. Whatever your take on it, its pages offer some pretty sound advice. Scripture urges us to be faithful to our partner, love deeply, forgive quickly, release grudges and not go to bed angry.
You will likely be familiar with 1 Corinthians 13. I would like to share part of this well-known chapter in a lesser-known version:
Love is large and incredibly patient. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance. Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honour. Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offence. Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong. Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up. 1 Cor 13.4-7 TPT
Love like this is unstoppable. So, while you may not encounter any sword fights or wicked witches, you will eventually have disagreements and other conflicts. Keep loving through it. Find ways to keep the romance alive, even if it doesn’t resemble a magic carpet ride or a royal ball. Sometimes the simple gestures mean the most.
WRITER: Stephanie Davies, attends Oasis SDA Church in Victoria.