THE DECLINE OF LOVE
When love grows colder, our sin increasingly manifests itself and we look more unlike Jesus.We lose patience easily, whereas 1 Corinthians 13:4 says that "Love suffers long". Unkindness becomes common, yet love is kind. We become sinfully envious of the advantages & privileges of others, perhaps even those within our own family; conversely, love does not envy. When challenged about our lack of love, we quickly & quite confidently list all the sacrifices & other proofs of our love, & yet "love does not parade itself, is not puffed up." As our hearts harden against love, we become less courteous, especially to those closest to us, in contrast to love which "does not behave rudely" (1 Corinthians 13:5) We begin to consider ourselves & our "rights" as more important than others & their needs, whereas love " does not seek its own." When love is in decline we are more easily angered, but love "is not provoked." A lack of love is often faultfinding, and it mentally keeps score of offenses, but love thinks no evil.
We're not growing in love when we have time for projects but not for people. Love is on the downgrade when it fails to protect, whether its the reputation of friends or coworkers, or the physical & spiritual health of family members. Love has cooled when it is unwilling to confront when necessary. In the church this may manifest itself by a lack of support for biblical church discipline. You do not love others if you will let them ruin their lives, their testimony , their reputation, and bring shame upon the church & the name of Christ, & you are unwilling to try to rescue them according to God's plan & from the sin that has deceived them.
Loves decline may also be typified by unconcern for the lost. We become less sensitive to the physical needs of people & less burdened by others spiritual needs. A declining love acts but is not without hypocrisy. Loves decline is not "given to hospitality" Romans 12:13. It is too indifferent to "rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep" (verse 15) Perhaps worst of all, it is apathetic about the rise of things in the heart & life that are contrary to love.
The only person who loved without fail was Jesus Christ. Scottish pastor Maurice Roberts observed that when it comes to growing in love, "The best believers find their progress slow & their attainments meager. The point however is not speed but direction. Are you making convincing progress in love, however slow, or are you regressing?
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