Love Has the Last Say

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." --- 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)

In the end, it's not death that writes the final line. It's love. The love you gave. The love you received. The love that still lives on.

Throughout this devotional journey, we've walked through the valleys of grief together—the questions without answers, the unexpected waves of emotion, the struggle to find meaning, the search for hope when darkness surrounds. We've acknowledged that grief is not a problem to solve or a stage to overcome, but a testimony to the depth of our attachments.

Grief doesn't erase love. It proves it.

Modern grief research affirms this profound truth—that grief and love are forever intertwined. Our sorrow is proportional to our affection. The pain we feel is the price of having loved deeply. What appears as a wound is actually love's continued expression when its usual channels have been disrupted.

Every tear, every ache, every memory is a testimony:

Love mattered here.

Whether it’s love for a person, a role, a location, a job, a pet, your children when they were young – it matters. We grieve far more than we may realize. Profound change produces profound grief.

This is why we are to carry our grief forward without shame—it bears witness to something beautiful.

The continuing bond you maintain with those (or what) you've lost is not unhealthy attachment but love's natural evolution. The memories you treasure, the values you carry forward, the ways you honor what mattered—these are love's ongoing story.

God — who is love — stands as the great witness to your loss and your healing. And His love will have the last word over your story, too. 1 John 4:16 tells us,

"We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in His love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them." (NLT)

The God who created love understands your emotions perfectly. The God who designed your heart knows exactly how it breaks (and how to mend it). The God who entered human suffering through Christ comprehends grief from the inside.

And this same God promises that all things—even the most painful losses—will eventually be restored or redeemed in His larger story of resurrection and renewal.

These are real but temporary chapters in your journey. They have their season, their purpose, their weight—but they do not have the final authority over your life or over those you love.

Love.

The kind that never fails, never ends, never forgets. The kind that was there at the beginning and will be there at the end of all things.

Always love.

As you close this devotional reading plan, may you walk forward knowing that your grief is honored, your questions are valid, your healing has no timeline, and your love—both given and received—remains your truest legacy.

May the God of all comfort continue to walk with you, holding your story with tender care, writing healing and peace into every step you take.

Breath Prayer:

Lord, thank You that love --- Your love --- is the last word over my life.

Scripture-Based Prayer:

Lord, thank You that in the end, love is the story You are still telling. Faith, hope, and love remain — but the greatest is love (1 Corinthians 13:13). Every tear, every ache, every memory bears witness: Love mattered here. Death does not get the final say — You do. And You are Love itself (1 John 4:8).

Teach me to live in the light of that truth — carrying the love I received, giving it freely, trusting that it never ends. Thank You for being the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last (Revelation 22:13). Love wins because You do. In Jesus’ Name, I pray.

Did this reading plan encourage you? It was lifted from the book, "HOPE FOR HEAVY HEARTS: A DEVOTIONAL & PRAYER GUIDE TO HELP YOU GRIEVE, BREATHE AND BELIEVE AGAIN." You can find more of Heather Hair's warmth and healing words by clicking on this link.