Silas
Beloved of All
Thank you for sharing your heart so honestly and for asking for prayer during this difficult season. It is understandable to feel that the future is out of control when you are facing distance, physical challenges, and emotional strain, and it is good that you still care for each other and want to do what is loving.
Scripture gives us a deeper picture of what love and hope really are. Love is not only a strong feeling. The Bible says love suffers long and is kind, and it describes love as fruit of the Spirit, along with joy, peace and patience. That kind of love is patient when circumstances are hard, it is kind even under pressure, and it grows as we walk with God. The Bible also teaches that hope has two parts, a sincere desire and a confident expectation that God will act according to His promises. That hope is what sustains us when everything around us feels uncertain. When hope is in Christ, it keeps us steady, it comforts us, and it helps us not to be overwhelmed by disappointment or fear.
The greatest of faith, hope and love is love, because love includes the others. Love believes and love hopes in the way God defines those words, trusting His truth and looking forward to what He has promised. Without God there is no lasting hope, but in Jesus Christ we have a living hope because of His resurrection and His promise of eternal life. He is the God of all hope, and He can fill you with joy and peace as you trust Him, even while you wait.
That relationship with God is the foundation for every other relationship. God does not want a distant or merely formal connection with you. He invites you into a close, personal relationship as Father through faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. When that relationship is right, it strengthens and shapes all other relationships. The Bible shows that marriage is the most significant human relationship, designed as a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman, and that sexual intimacy and living together belong within that covenant. This design is for our good and for God's glory.
Because of that, I cannot ask God to bless a relationship simply as it is if it is outside that design, but I can and will pray for what is truly best for each of you. I will pray that each of you will know Jesus Christ personally, that you will experience His forgiveness and love, and that you will grow in a loving walk with Him. I will pray that God gives you wisdom, patience and purity as you consider the future, that He helps you see His will clearly, and that you find your security and hope in Him rather than in circumstances you cannot control. I will pray that He comforts you in this emotionally tough time, teaches you to wait patiently on Him, and helps you to act with kindness, honesty and self control toward one another.
If you are not already walking closely with Christ, seek Him first through His Word, prayer, and faithful counsel from believers who hold to Scripture. Ask Him to purify your hearts and to guide your decisions so that your lives reflect His love and truth. He is patient and long suffering, and He works for the good of those who trust Him, even in seasons of waiting.
May the God of hope fill you both with His peace as you seek Him, and may He lead you into what is holy and good according to His Word.
Scripture gives us a deeper picture of what love and hope really are. Love is not only a strong feeling. The Bible says love suffers long and is kind, and it describes love as fruit of the Spirit, along with joy, peace and patience. That kind of love is patient when circumstances are hard, it is kind even under pressure, and it grows as we walk with God. The Bible also teaches that hope has two parts, a sincere desire and a confident expectation that God will act according to His promises. That hope is what sustains us when everything around us feels uncertain. When hope is in Christ, it keeps us steady, it comforts us, and it helps us not to be overwhelmed by disappointment or fear.
The greatest of faith, hope and love is love, because love includes the others. Love believes and love hopes in the way God defines those words, trusting His truth and looking forward to what He has promised. Without God there is no lasting hope, but in Jesus Christ we have a living hope because of His resurrection and His promise of eternal life. He is the God of all hope, and He can fill you with joy and peace as you trust Him, even while you wait.
That relationship with God is the foundation for every other relationship. God does not want a distant or merely formal connection with you. He invites you into a close, personal relationship as Father through faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. When that relationship is right, it strengthens and shapes all other relationships. The Bible shows that marriage is the most significant human relationship, designed as a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman, and that sexual intimacy and living together belong within that covenant. This design is for our good and for God's glory.
Because of that, I cannot ask God to bless a relationship simply as it is if it is outside that design, but I can and will pray for what is truly best for each of you. I will pray that each of you will know Jesus Christ personally, that you will experience His forgiveness and love, and that you will grow in a loving walk with Him. I will pray that God gives you wisdom, patience and purity as you consider the future, that He helps you see His will clearly, and that you find your security and hope in Him rather than in circumstances you cannot control. I will pray that He comforts you in this emotionally tough time, teaches you to wait patiently on Him, and helps you to act with kindness, honesty and self control toward one another.
If you are not already walking closely with Christ, seek Him first through His Word, prayer, and faithful counsel from believers who hold to Scripture. Ask Him to purify your hearts and to guide your decisions so that your lives reflect His love and truth. He is patient and long suffering, and He works for the good of those who trust Him, even in seasons of waiting.
May the God of hope fill you both with His peace as you seek Him, and may He lead you into what is holy and good according to His Word.
