Long Distance Love (Part B).

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. ⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NIV).

Hey there! I am glad you stopped by. Let’s pick up from the last post, and this is the concluding part of the 5 things to keep in mind while navigating a long distance relationship.

1. Teamwork.

I started with the first point last week. You can find that here Long Distance Love (Part A).

2. Priorities.

On your scale, where does your relationship fall? Setting priorities are important, and they help in your decision making. Different occasions will present a chance to make difficult choices, but priorities help to offset some of the pressure. It helps to find a balance when you are stuck between facetiming or getting a good nap. Perhaps, a quick text to update your partner on why you would be skipping the usual end of the day call because you would be working late in the lab could make a huge difference. Some conscious actions are not only out of courtesy but due to the respect you have for the other teammate and the love you both share.

 ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs…

3. Time.

Setting priorities and timing almost go together. You devote your time to what you prioritize more. Remember we are stewards of time. Truth is, time runs out so quickly that we can hardly catch up. If you wished at a time for more than 24 hours in a day, let’s gather here 🙋‍♀️ (I did, a couple of times…no shame). But, my time with my partner is non-negotiable…understanding accommodates when this becomes unpragmatic. Allotted time to each of our relationships, families and even school work helps a lot. If we don’t, we may starve one or the other their required time. Wisdom is a principal thing in how we invest our time when it comes to our relationships.

⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away…

4. Sacrifice.

Let’s be committed to take one for the team. On many occasions, my fiancé had to stay up late waiting for me just so we catch up on our day and exchange our goodnights. Many mornings he wakes up with puffy eyes and will still have a charming smile to say, “good morning dear, how was your rest?” Truth is, I have also found myself hurriedly packing my bag and zooming out of the lab to quickly make it home in time to make phone calls with him. Sometimes setting aside our work to have a good chat with our loved ones despite looming deadlines might not cost a thing (maybe an overnight haul or working on weekends but it’s totally worth it!).

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud…

Photo by Chris Liu on Unsplash

5. Fellowship.

The 4 points above are important but a secret that glues them together is fellowship. Praying and studying the word of God together are two ways to go about this. You may not always be there for each other as much as you would like due to constraints, however, knowing you have one mind spiritually goes a long way. You might not be able to communicate as much as you would like but knowing you both have each other at the top of your prayer lists is most reassuring. Fellowship makes you two form spiritual alliance that supports your camaraderie and keeps the devil at bay.

⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth…

There are no hard and fast rules about navigating your long distance relationships. Moreover, this list is not exhaustive. Sometimes we fail but pick ourselves up because we are still learning. When all is said and done, what is left is to stay true to each other, keep hope alive and believe in God who brought you together in love to do His work.

Love is a beautiful gift and may we celebrate it every single day of our lives!

WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING WITH YOUR LONG DISTANCE LOVE?

Special note: Would you give your life to Jesus Christ? He is the way, the truth and the life. If yes, please pray the prayers below:

Lord Jesus, thank you for your death and resurrection for the salvation of my soul. Please forgive all my sins. I choose you today to follow and to obey. May your love and the holy spirit lead and guide my purpose for your glory. Thank you, my Lord and savior. Amen!

Grace and blessings,

Olushola.