By Jen Powell

Love won. I held my tongue. With a pause, a prayer and the power of God, Love won. Hindsight seems so clear. I can look back in recent history and see many battles lost and even territory lost in my life; however, not today. Love won today.

It didn’t used to be like this. There was a time when my critical spirit was unleashed by harsh words and then closely followed by intentional cutting silence. There was a time when our marriage limped along with a painful mix of isolation and bitterness.

What happened? When did it change? It started when Love won on the Cross of Calvary. It started when Jesus died and rose again. It started way back then. Love won on the Cross. Love Won again when we surrendered our hearts and our lives to Christ. Love won again when we begged Him to rescue our marriage and family. Love won again when we started to pray together on a daily basis. Love won.

Please be clear about this. We continue to see battles and some not until we have been through the other side and failed miserably. Broken-hearted and hungry for more of Him in my life, I ask God to help me see this battleground through His eyes. I want every territory of my life to be marked by His love and His victory.

I am about to grab the keys and race off to conquer my long list and busy day. I pray for the Holy Spirit to fill me and open my eyes to His plans today. I pray for Him to help me see the battles all around me. I pray He will help me to choose Love today. I think about what it might look like today with my kids, my husband, my neighbors, the homeless person by the freeway or the tattooed and pierced up teenager bagging my groceries. I want Love to win again today. Please help me, Lord Jesus.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.   I Corinthians 13: 4-8

Prayer: Lord, You are love. Thank you for Your love poured out on the cross for me. Thank you that You alone are the strength and power in my life. Thank you that You alone can help me have victory in the everyday battleground of my life. I choose You. I choose love. I pray love would win in my life. May You be glorified. I pray in the powerful name of Jesus Christ. Amen.