Love alone isn’t enough.

I’ve heard this many times before, but having my grandmother say it to me actually resonated in me. You can love someone with everything you have, but if they don’t feel the same way anymore, it doesn’t matter. People say that love is one of the strongest things a person can feel. While this is true, it’s terrifying to think that one of the strongest feelings a human can experience can’t even keep two people together. So, if love can’t keep two people together, then what can? This is something that I, and most young people, strive to find in their lives. Our older relatives and the adults we look up to think that we’re just dumb, young teenagers obsessed with love and that we will look for it wherever we go. Yes, some of us are like that, but not all.

I think true love at a young age can exist, and can last, if both individuals are willing to make it work. This, sadly, is often the downfall of young relationships; one person out of the couple starts to think that it won’t work out, so they give up. Back to my question: what, if not love, can keep two people together? The answer will vary depending on who you are. Some good responses could be trust, communication, honesty, and effort. These are some of the things I would say, but I know that there is a better answer that trumps all others.

God is essential to any relationship if the couple is planning to work out in the end. Having God in your relationship is a conversation that needs to be had. You can’t just walk into a relationship and expect that person to read your mind and know how much God you want in the relationship, even if they are already a committed follower of Christ. Everyone, including Christians, has slightly different views on how to live their everyday life with God leading them, and not every Christian is in the perfect place with their relationship with God. But THAT IS PERFECTLY OKAY. No Christian is perfect, and that’s why we are Christians! We fail the Lord every day but He still loves us and gives us His mercy. Remembering to center our lives around God is essential for successful relationships, even if we aren't always successful in keeping a strong faith in Him.