Choosing Love Over Comfort

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“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful.” 

1 Corinthians 13:4-5

The second the car starts, the blast of cold air hits me like a wave. I fold my arms, pressing them tightly against my chest, trying to hold in the warmth. 

David does not seem to notice. He sits comfortably, one hand on the wheel, humming absently to the song on the radio. I could not take it anymore, so I reached for the air dial and turned up the heat. 

A few moments later, David casually turns it back down. 

I say nothing. He says nothing. But my jaw tightens just slightly.  

Why does he always do that? Why can’t he be the one to adjust? 

I cross my arms, staring out the window, watching the world blur past in streaks of green and gray. I could argue. I want to argue. It is not about the air. Not really. It is about the principle. 

But then, a thought sneaks in—Do you really have to win this? 

Yes, I want to be comfortable. I want to be considered. I want my way! But after I thought about it, I realized that love—real love—doesn’t demand its way. It does not keep score or measure degrees of fairness. So, I reach into the back seat, pull a blanket over my legs, and let the cold air stay. 

Jesus laid down everything for us. He did not demand His way. He gave everything. His life. His comfort. His rights. 

And here I am, learning that love means choosing someone else’s well-being over my own. It is not easy. But in the moments I choose to give instead of receive, I reflect a love so much greater than my own. 

So, today—maybe right now—there’s a moment where you can take the road of love too. Not because you have to, but because you can. Because love, at its core, is a choice. 

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A Love That Runs Toward You

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“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”

Isaiah 55:7 

The father spotted the boy before anyone else did. 

A speck on the horizon. A figure too thin, too tired, and walking with the weight of the world on his shoulders. 

His son. 

He jumped to his feet before his mind caught up. Then he was running—running like a fool or like a man who had never been wronged or his heart shattered. 

And when he reached the boy, he did not stop. He embraced him with arms wide open and buried his face in his son’s filthy hair, drinking in the moment he prayed for a thousand times. 

The boy started talking, voice shaking, eyes on the ground. “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you—” 

But the father did not let him finish. 

“Bring a robe!” He said, “The best one! And a ring for his hand, and for Heaven’s sake, fire up the grill. We’re celebrating tonight!” 

Because his son was home. 

No speeches. No groveling. No earning his way back. Just love, poured out without measure. 

And that is exactly how God loves you. 

Maybe you feel like you have gone too far. Like you have messed up too much and need to earn your way back. But God is not waiting for you to clean yourself up first. 

He just wants you home. 

So, if you have been running from Him, and if you have been carrying shame too heavy to bear, hear this: 

You don’t have to prove a thing. 

Just turn toward Him—He’s already on His way to you. 

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The Miracle of Letting Go

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“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” 

1 Peter 5:6-7

Adrian had always believed in one simple truth: hard work could fix anything. You push through, you keep going, and when life gets tough, you push harder. It made sense to him for a long time. 

But then it stopped working. 

The job offers dried up. His marriage ended, and suddenly, he was left alone in a house that used to feel like home. No matter how much effort he poured into it, things stayed broken. 

One evening, feeling completely worn out, Adrian did something he had not done in ages—he prayed. 

“God, I don’t know what to do anymore. I can’t carry this alone. Please, take it from me. Put me where You want me to be.” 

And for the first time in a long while, Adrian stopped trying to control everything. He let go. 

Less than a month later, the phone rang. 

He found out he got the job! And not just any job, it was the one he had been praying for. The hours worked, it was close to home, and most importantly, it allowed him to be there when his kids got off the bus. It was the perfect fit and a clear reminder that God had been working all along. 

When Adrian called in to Always Uplifting 88.7 The Cross to tell us his story, his voice cracked with emotion from relief. For the first time in a long time, he was not carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. 

Maybe you’re there right now, too. Exhausted. Stressed. Wondering why things aren’t falling into place. What if God has been waiting for you to surrender? 

It might be time to stop fighting. To lay it all down. Because sometimes, the freedom we are looking for does not come from trying harder, but from surrendering. 

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God Never Lets Go

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“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 

Romans 8:38-39

Some roads feel endless. No matter how far you have come, it feels like you are just as far from where you are going. 

I know that kind of road well. 

I glance over at my husband, one hand steady on the wheel, the other resting within reach. I slip my fingers into his, and without looking, he gives them a squeeze. It is a small thing, but it anchors me by reminding me of where I have been and who never let me go. 

Because my road has not been straight.  

I was sixteen when I knew, without a doubt, that I was called to music and ministry. But Hurt has a way of shaking what you thought was solid. And when the hurt came from the place I thought was safest—the church—I started questioning everything. 

I kept going, though. I pressed into music even when the pain echoed through the notes I sang. For years, I ran toward success, touring, performing, and standing in front of thousands, but the bigger the stage, the heavier my heart felt. 

And then, finally, I had to stop. 

I thought stepping back from the spotlight was the end of my story, but it turned out to be the beginning of healing. And then there was him. 

My husband never pushed me, but he never let me disappear completely. He just held on and reminded me both who I was and who God was. 

I squeeze his hand again, and this time, I smile.  

Because that’s the thing about love—the real kind. It doesn’t let go. 

And neither does God. 

Maybe you have walked away, too. Maybe the weight of past wounds has convinced you to stop believing. But let me tell you this—God hasn’t given up on you. 

His hand is still there, waiting for you to take hold. 

– Tasha Layton

 

Lyrics “Worship Through It”

This looks impossible
But You’re the God of impossible
And I’ve seen your faithfulness all over my life
I need a miracle
And You’re the God of miracles
Some way, somehow You come through every time

Chorus
I know my God can do it
So, I’m gonna worship through it
Before I see my breakthrough
I’m gonna choose to praise You

I will sing hallelujah to the one
Who can do what the world says can’t be done
I know my God can do it
So, I’m gonna worship through it

In the middle of my no way out
In the middle of my don’t know how
I hear You whisper to me “peace be still”
This is why I believe
You will deliver me
You always have and you always will
You always have and you always will

I won’t wait ‘til the rocks cry out
I’m gonna praise You
I won’t wait till the walls come down
I’m gonna praise You
(Gonna) Lift my hands right here, right now
I’m gonna praise You
Oh God I praise You!

Written by Tasha Layton, Keith Everette Smith, Matthew West, AJ Pruis

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