6 a.m. Conversations

Let’s be honest, some days, love feels like clocking in to a job you didn’t apply for. No benefits, no paid time off, and management (aka your spouse) always has notes about your performance.

Don’t act brand new, every long-term relationship hits that point. The “I love you, but I don’t like you right now” phase. The “you breathing too loud” phase. The “why do I have to be the mature one again?” phase. Yeah…that one.

See, folks don’t talk about the grind of love. Everybody’s excited about the wedding, the honeymoon, the “we’re a power couple now” energy. But nobody hands you the manual for when life starts handing out assignments.

Bills. Kids. Work stress. Body changes. Unmet dreams. That’s when the real curriculum starts.

Love is work and not the easy kind. It’s the kind that stretches you, humbles you, and sometimes sends you to bed mad, whispering a prayer like, “Lord, fix them…but if You’re busy, fix me first.”

The truth is, real relationships require daily effort. You don’t just fall in love; you keep working in love. And sometimes that work looks like forgiving when you don’t feel like it. Sometimes it’s letting your partner win an argument because peace pays better than pride. And sometimes, it’s cooking dinner even when you swear you already retired from the kitchen.

Now, before you start feeling underappreciated, here’s the other side — they’re working too. Maybe not the way you think they should, but they’re showing up the best they know how. Sometimes love looks like a sacrifice you didn’t see. Sometimes their silence is them holding it together.

One of the biggest lies we were sold is that love should always feel good. Nah. Sometimes love feels like patience on probation. It’s being committed to the assignment even when the feeling fades.

But here’s the beauty: when you stay consistent, something shifts. Love starts to evolve. You start seeing your partner differently. The same person who once irritated you with their habits starts to comfort you just by being there. You start realizing that love isn’t a paycheck, it’s a purpose.

See, when you work a job, you get compensated. But when you serve in love, you get transformed.

And if you stick with it, one morning you’ll look at them messy hair, morning breath, the same person who left socks on the floor and realize you wouldn’t trade it for anything. Because love, the real kind, ain’t about quitting when it’s hard. It’s about clocking in again, grateful that you still have someone worth showing up for.

Here’s a question; when love starts to feel like work, do you check out or clock back in with gratitude?

Loving By HIS Word–“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord.” — Colossians 3:23

God didn’t design love to be effortless; He designed it to be eternal. When you love with intention, even on the tired days, you’re honoring Him. You’re saying, “This union matters, even when it’s messy.” And that kind of faithfulness builds something feelings never could. 

6 a.m. Quote–“Love isn’t a vacation, it’s a full-time calling. Some days you’re the boss, some days you’re the intern, but every day you better show up.”

Marlon Dean–6 a.m. Conversations “Where love meets faith, one morning at a time“