One of the first steps is to reframe love as an action, not just a feeling. Scripture describes what love does and does not do. In 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Paul tells us that love is patient and kind, it is not proud or self‑seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs, it always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. When we notice that our attitudes no longer resemble this picture, it is a sign that we need to re-center ourselves and honestly reflect on our way of loving.

We are called to love, and 1 John reminds us that this command is not new, love has always been at the heart of God’s call to God’s people. When we find hatred, bitterness, or contempt growing in our hearts toward another person, it is a warning that we are stepping out of the light and into darkness. Love is not only something we feel; it is something we practice by trying to understand the other person and paying attention to their needs, not just our own.

Jesus shows us what this looks like in real life. During his ministry, he loved people others rejected. He sat at a table with those labeled “sinners” and made space for those who were pushed to the margins, making sure everyone knew they had a place of belonging. The question then turns back to us: Is this what we are doing? Are we moving toward people, especially difficult people, or are we pulling away and closing our hearts? Let us not merely claim to love; let us actually love in the way we act, speak, and respond.

This kind of love also chooses to “believe the best.” Joyce Meyer puts it this way: when someone hurts our feelings or offends us, we have a choice. We can think, “You did this on purpose just to upset me!” Or we can choose a different path and say, “They must be having a difficult day and probably did not even realize how they sounded. Maybe something hard is going on in their life; it may not be about me at all.” That posture does not excuse real hurt or erase healthy boundaries, but it keeps our hearts from rushing to judgment and deepens compassion instead of resentment.

Finally, loving in difficult times means leaning on divine love. On our own, patience runs out, kindness dries up, and forgiveness feels impossible. But God’s love does not run dry. As we return to God in prayer and Scripture, we are reminded that we are loved first, forgiven first, held first. From that place, we can move toward others with a love that does not come only from us, but from the One who loved us at our worst and still calls us “beloved.”