"40 Days of Love" in American Sign LanguageSample

No Relationship Will Make It Without Grace
By Rick Warren

“Love never stops being patient.” (1 Corinthians 13:7a GW)

No relationship will make it without grace. This is part of lasting love! You’ve got to cut people some slack. You’ve got to let things go.

The Bible says, “Love never stops being patient” (1 Corinthians 13:7a GW). The Message paraphrase of that verse says it “puts up with anything.” The New Century Version says it “patiently accepts all things.” And the New Jerusalem Bible translation says it is “always ready to make allowances.” You have to allow for mistakes.

The word in Greek that says it’s “always patient” is the word that literally means “covered with a roof.” Would you buy a house without a roof? Of course not. You’d have no protection from the winds and the rain. A roof covers and protects your home.

In the same way, a patient, gracious love covers a relationship and lets some things slide. Why is this so important?

Because you’re imperfect, and your spouse is imperfect. You’re imperfect, and your friend is imperfect. Two imperfect people will never create a perfect relationship. There’s no such thing as a perfect marriage or a perfect friendship, so stop trying to find one.

Romans 3:10 says, “No one always does what is right, not even one.” The Bible also says, “If we say that we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth” (1 John 1:8 LB).

We have to extend grace to each other because forgiveness is a two-way street. You cannot receive what you are unwilling to give to other people.

If you’re going to have a love that lasts, you’ve got to learn to make allowances for the mistakes of others. That’s called grace.

Talk It Over

What is the difference between approving of others’ mistakes and making allowances for their mistakes?

From whom have you sought forgiveness? Have you also been willing to offer it to that person?

How can you extend grace practically in your relationships today?