Apprentices in Love

“For one human being to love another: that is perhaps the most difficult of all tasks...we are beginners, bunglers of life, apprentices in love and must learn love.”

~Rainer Maria Rilke

Love is not something we master overnight. It is something we learn, often through failure, forgiveness, and the patient grace of God. As Christians, we are all apprentices in love, called to grow into Christ’s likeness day by day.

Why Love Feels So Hard

Many of us long for closeness, yet we also fear rejection. Some of us protect ourselves by keeping our distance. Others give too much, hoping never to be abandoned. These patterns are not random—they come from what psychologists call attachment styles, shaped by our early experiences of love and care.

• Secure Attachment – Comfortable with closeness and independence.

• Anxious Attachment – Craves closeness, fears rejection.

• Avoidant Attachment – Values independence, resists intimacy.

• Disorganized Attachment – Wants closeness but fears it, often due to past wounds.

  
  

These tendencies can follow us into friendships, ministry, and even marriage. But here is the hope: Jesus is our secure base. His love never abandons, never avoids, never confuses.

Learning the Language of Love

Scripture calls us to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Real love is expressed through:

• Goodwill – choosing kindness and care.

• Empathy – stepping into another’s perspective.

• Compassion – acting to relieve suffering.

• Bonding – practicing emotional openness and presence.

In Christ, love becomes more than a feeling. It is a way of living.

A Missionary’s Invitation

As Kingdom believers, you are not only learning theology and ministry—you are also learning how to love across cultures, languages, and wounds. Love will stretch you, test you, and sometimes break you. But Jesus, the Master, is patient with His apprentices.

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear.” — 1 John 4:18

Today, pause and ask: What is Jesus teaching me about love right now?

Wherever you are—secure, anxious, avoidant, or somewhere in between—know this: You are loved perfectly. And you are being trained in love by Love Himself.