1 Corinthians 13:4-8 tells us what love is....

"Love is patient, it does not envy. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not did-honor others, 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 hopes, always trusts, always preservers. Love never fails."

Loving an addict is something that is unpredictable, heartbreaking, humbling, and so much more. Here is why loving an addict is the perfect example of the true love that Christ describes in 1 Corinthians...

Loving an addict is something that will teach you more than you could ever imagine.

When you love an addict, you usually do not understand why. Generally addicts have a very toxic quality, that hurts their loved one. The most amazing thing, being one of those loved ones who gets hurt over and over again, that loved one NEVER stops loving. We never stop, and there are times when we want to more than anything else in the world. Not only are their behaviors hurting us, but the love we have for them hurts in itself.

So many times I wanted to hate, but I couldn't. I couldn't stop loving as much as I wanted to, a perfect example that love never fails.

Each day Jesus renewed me, he gave me hope that my mother would heal, the love I had for her was patient, I understood having an addiction is a constant process of mistakes.

This love was not easily angered and kept no record of wrongs, because when you love an addict there are so many mistakes made, so much hurt that is done, but when you love an addict you constantly turn the other cheek, letting wrongs roll off as if they never happened.

I never expected to experience true love while loving an addict, but loving an addict taught me to love fearlessly, to love like Jesus, but also how to love from a distance.