Day 3 – Abide in His Love | Beyond Feelings: Learning God’s Language of Love

We fall quickly in love with the opposite sex, with friends, with cars, with different types of foods, etc. Can anyone identify? 

Then, when the time comes and we realize that, hey this person is not good for us, it can be really hard to tear yourself away because of the ties that bound you together in the first place.

You know, one of the hardest parts of loving God is not starting—it’s staying. 

Many begin strong in prayer, passion, and devotion, but somewhere along the line, emotions fade, distractions multiply, and love feels like labour. 

Yet Jesus gave us a command that sustains real love: “Abide in My love.”

In John 15:9–10 (NKJV), He said, “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.”

To abide means to remain, dwell, stay connected, and refuse to disconnect when it’s inconvenient. It’s easy to be close to God when life is smooth. But abiding love endures through silence, suffering, and waiting.

1 Corinthians 13:7 (NLT) describes it perfectly: “Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”

This means genuine love holds steady even when feelings don’t cooperate. So I may do something to annoy you, but does that mean you stop talking to me, or you block me from WhatsApp and Facebook? Does that mean you stop loving me? Is love a tap that we can turn on and turn off?

The Apostle John reminds us that abiding isn’t passive; it’s a decision to remain faithful. 

1 John 2:24 (NKJV) says, “Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.”

In other words, hold on to what God said when you first believed. Don’t let disappointment or delay make you walk away.

Think about Martha and Mary in Luke 10:38–42 (NLT). Martha was busy serving, but Mary chose to sit at Jesus’ feet and listen to His words. Jesus said, “Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her.” That’s abiding—choosing His presence over performance. 

Now, whether Martha was performing or genuinely wanting to serve Jesus is another topic for another day. But the point is that Jesus values presence over pressure. He’s not impressed by how much we do for Him if we’re not first spending time with Him. Martha’s service wasn’t wrong — it just wasn’t the “good part.” When our hearts are anxious and distracted, even good things can pull us away from the best thing: intimacy with Christ.

Many believers today are spiritually restless because they confuse visiting with abiding. 

We visit God when we’re in trouble, but abiding means we dwell with Him even when all is not well. 

Psalm 91:1 (NKJV) says, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” 

Notice it’s those who dwell, not those who stop by occasionally, it’s those who abide in the presence of the Lord who find rest and protection.

When Jesus said in John 15:5 (NKJV), “I am the vine, you are the branches… for without Me you can do nothing,” He was reminding us that distance from Him equals spiritual decay. 

So, we may still function outwardly—preach, sing, serve—but if we disconnect, our fruit withers.

Abiding love isn’t maintained through hype; it’s nurtured through daily obedience. 1 John 3:24 (NLT) says, “Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with Him, and He with them.”

And that’s where many stumble: we want God’s presence but not His precepts. Yet, abiding means we let His Word guide our emotions, choices, and relationships.

When we remain in His love, we begin to mirror His nature. The fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience—starts flowing naturally (Galatians 5:22–23). That’s not emotional hype; that’s transformation.

Let’s also remember Romans 8:38–39 (NLT): “I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love… neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

So if God’s love doesn’t let go, why should we? 

Often it’s because we mistake His silence for absence, or correction for rejection. But God’s love never quits—it’s constant, even when He’s quiet. Family, let us take note.

When you abide in His love, you stop chasing validation and start resting in identity. You stop trying to earn love and start living from it.

Jesus said in John 15:11 (NKJV), “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” Notice again that word remain. The byproduct of abiding love is lasting joy.

Family, this abiding love does not mean life gets easier. Just because I’m a Christian and I love God, doesn’t mean there won’t be moments when that love will be tested. Some of us have family members who seem to wait for those moments—ready to tease, provoke, or accuse us of being “fake Christians” the moment we show tough love. You know exactly what I mean.

We are reassured that the abiding love of God means our roots get deeper. It’s what keeps us kind when others are cruel, patient when things are delayed, and faithful when no one’s watching.

Family, abiding in His love is the key to stability in unstable times. Don’t visit His presence—live there. Let His Word remain in you, and His love will reshape how you handle people, problems, and purpose.

1 Corinthians 13:8 (NKJV) closes it beautifully: “Love never fails.” And the love that never fails is the love that never leaves.

That’s the heart of Day 3 — real love stays. It abides.