What to Do When Love Feels One-Sided

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What to Do When Love Feels One-Sided

You text first. You call first. You plan the hangouts, say sorry just to keep the peace, and always fight for the connection even when it’s clear they’ve stopped showing up.

Let’s be honest: nothing hurts more than feeling like you’re the only one trying in a relationship that was supposed to be mutual.

Love Wasn’t Meant To Be Begged For

Real love is intentional. It gives, it shows up, it sacrifices on both sides. When only one person is carrying the weight of the relationship, something is fundamentally wrong. You weren’t created to chase someone into loving you back; that’s not love, that’s survival.

In 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, love is described as patient and kind, not self-seeking. Notice how these qualities flow both ways. God designed love to be mutual, not a one-person show where you’re constantly proving your worth.

The Reality Check You Need

Stop making excuses when love feels one-sided. Stop making excuses for someone’s lack of effort. If they wanted to text you back, they would. If they cared about your feelings, it would show consistently. Matthew 7:16 reminds us, “By their fruit you will recognize them.” People’s actions—not their occasional words—reveal their true heart toward you.

Amos 3:3 asks, “Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?” Healthy relationships require two people moving in the same direction with equal commitment.

You Deserve Better

You deserve someone who chooses you back without confusion, without pressure, without delay. Someone who meets you halfway, prays with you, and values your presence. Ephesians 5:25 shows us that love should be sacrificial and intentional, on both sides.

Permission to Pause

If you’re exhausted from being the only one trying, it’s okay to pause. It’s okay to stop texting first. This isn’t about games but about protecting your heart and seeing the relationship clearly.

God sees every unanswered text, every one-sided conversation. Psalm 56:8 says He keeps track of all your sorrows and collects your tears. Your heart matters to Him.

Sometimes God is trying to pull you out of places where you’re not truly valued. Don’t shrink yourself to fit into someone’s limited capacity to love. Trust that He’s writing a better story, one where love flows both ways.

You’re not too much. You’re simply asking for what love should naturally provide. And that’s not too much to ask for at all.

Shalom!

What to Do When Love Feels One-Sided.