“So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.”
Genesis 29:20 NKJV
I have seen people do the most unbelievable things for the people that they love. In fact, this has helped the Asian movie industry. That whole storyline where someone is in trouble in one part of the world, and the person who loves them will cross cities, cross borders, just to be there.
Love is a compelling force. It will make you do what you would not ordinarily do.
Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and the Bible says it felt like only a few days to him because of the love he had for her. Later, he would serve fourteen years in total. Fourteen years is not small. But when love is the motivation, labour does not feel like punishment.
Beware of Accountants
One way to recognise love in a relationship is this: when you can show up for someone, sacrifice for them, inconvenience yourself for them, and it does not feel like you are losing something. You are not keeping a mental record. You are not calculating every effort. You are just giving.
That counting usually starts when the love has already turned sour. That is when someone begins to list everything they did and everything they endured. But while love is healthy, it does not operate like an accountant.
If you are the kind of person who can give deeply and it feels natural to you, be careful who you tie yourself to. Because when one person is pouring freely and the other is measuring every drop, an imbalance will eventually show up. And imbalance in love creates anxiety, resentment, and heartbreak.
Double Check
Jesus gave Himself for us out of love. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16 NKJV). Giving was not a strategy. It was the expression of love.
Let this help you discern. If someone constantly recounts everything they have done for you, that is not love speaking. And if you are the one always keeping score, that is not love either.
Love, when it is genuine, makes sacrifice feel light.
And if you struggle with giving because of past wounds, talk to the Lord. Ask Him to heal you so that you can love healthily, not from fear or trauma, and He will heal you and make your heart whole again
Shalom.
