Unconditional love is one of the most powerful tools we have as believers. Jesus said that all of the law can be summed up into two tasks: that we love the Lord our God with all of our mind, soul, and strength, and that we love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Love can overcome any evil or injustice. And while the love you have for your prodigal is mighty against the power of the enemy, it will not get you to the finish line.

As long as I am being honest, I do not wake up every single day full of bright sunshine and selfless love for this person that I am called to stand for. Some days, I cannot even stand to think about them, much less pray for them. So how do you keep going on those days when you feel like just cutting all your losses and pray for God to give you something better and easier?

The Garden of Gethsemane was probably the most emotionally difficult moment of Jesus life. He knew what was about to happen. He knew He would be dying a torturous death, for the salvation of you and me. I personally do not know you, but my heart goes out to you because you are most likely reading this during a season of great spiritual and mental stress. It would be noble for me to choose to give up my life so that your prayers would be answered. Jesus never met us, but I am sure He had some sort of knowledge about you and me, and He chose to die for us. But what about dying for somebody who doesn’t even seem to care that you exist? If our motivation is only love, what about the times when we don’t feel like loving them?

Jesus fought this battle in the garden also. He had brought His three closest and most trusted friends, to be with Him during His darkest hour. Jesus had done so much for these men! He had been there for each one of them at different times, loving them and providing for them, protecting them and even giving each one a specific purpose in their lives. So surely it wouldn’t be too much for them to give of themselves for a few hours when He asked them.

But in Jesus time of need, He found them sleeping. Didn’t they care about what He was going through? He had told them over and over again that this day would come when He would die, and they didn’t really even seem to be affected by the pain Jesus was obviously in. Instead, they chose to sleep and let Him fight this battle alone.

I believe that among other things, God was interested in publicly demonstrating Jesus motivation for laying down His life. When you give to someone who does not give anything back, it will be difficult to continue to stay motivated to keep giving. But if your motivation is because God has asked you to do it, then obedience to Him out of your love for Him has become your motivation. Jesus chose to keep moving toward the cross not only out of love for you and me, but because that was His assignment. When we don’t feel like loving our prodigal family members, we are tempted to stop obeying. In the same moment He was rejected by His closest friends, He chose to keep going because obedience is removing the option to quit from off the table. Right now you can allow Holy Spirit to adjust your motivations for why you are praying, and you will find that your obedience will open doors that your feelings have already given up on.