The Love Dare Bible Study - Session 2, Part 1

The Power of Influence

If you are not leading your heart, then someone or something else is. The people you listen to and the influences you allow into your life impact your very destiny as a couple.

Ignite

If the last week challenged you, realize that you have an enemy who detests your choosing to participate in this journey of demonstrating genuine love. You also have a God whose power is greater and who will honor your commitment to your marriage.

" ⁷ Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. ⁸ Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." James 4:7-8

Love Dare – Day 1 & Day 2 challenged us to express genuine love through Patience and Kindness.

What is Patience? (Patience is where love meets wisdom.)

When you choose to be patient, you respond in a positive way to a negative situation.

Patience helps you give your spouse permission to be human. It understands that no one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes.

"See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another." 1 Thessalonians 5:15

Few of us do patience very well, and none of us do it naturally. But wise men and women will pursue it as an essential ingredient to their marriage relationship.

What is Kindness? (Kindness is love in action.)

If patience is how love reacts in order to minimize a negative circumstance, kindness is how love acts to maximize a positive circumstance.

Patience avoids a problem; Kindness creates a blessing.

Patience is preventive; Kindness is proactive.

4 Core ingredients of Kindness: Gentleness, Helpfulness, Willingness, and Initiative.

Your spouse needs to be shown love (patience and kindness) most when they deserve it the least. It is at those times that your expression of love will speak the loudest to them. It is easy to show love when your receiving love in return. It is not so easy to show love when you're not receiving love in return. That is why it means so much when someone returns good for evil. It can change the atmosphere and turn things around.

Is it easy or difficult to demonstrate Patience and Kindness? Why?

The influences around you can directly affect the success of your marriage.

Let's look together at both the positive and negative influences on our lives and our love.

Which of these influences pose the greatest threat to marriages today?

___Media/Internet    ___Money/Debt    ___Work        ___Other

___Relationships    ___Schedules        ___Recreation

Which ones also have potential for positive impact on relationships?

It is up to us to minimize negative influences and maximize positive influences.

Living The Love Dare
This Week: Read and Do - Day 3, Day 4, and Day 5.