1 John 4:19–We love because he first loved us.

Lately I think the Lord has really challenged me to understand what His love truly means, and how to practically cultivate it within relationships of all kinds.  For example without understanding the root of the gospel, we treat and give love according to how people perform, behave, etc.  Yet God, who is love, pours it out because He can’t help it! (1 John 4:16)

Pride keeps us from pouring out love when people don’t “perform” well enough to deserve it.  When you realize that you can’t help showing love, even though that same person made you furious, that is when we get a glimpse of the kind of love God has for us.  It is also a sign that Christ is being formed in us, because such love is unconditional…(1 John 4:11)

I believe this is why God puts us in situations that stretch our faith in Him.  Because faith works by love, so situations God orchestrates will provoke immense frustration, anger, or discouragement because we’re all sinners.  This is when we need faith, or else we allow those emotions to control people and situations.  But God has orchestrated them for faith and love to be worked out in our hearts, and demonstrated.(Galatians 5:6)

It takes supernatural strength (grace), to love in the face of being frustrated by people God calls us to love.  Because pride doesn’t want to look foolish and weak, pursuing love in the face of being taken advantage of.  Yet that is the love of Christ for us!  That we take advantage of God’s love all the time, yet He is immense in His pursuit of us!  How humbling is that?

So the next time we feel like we deserve to sit and stew in our anger without love overcoming our heart.  Just remember the golden rule, as to how much we would hate for God/people to withhold love and respect from us…(Matthew 22:39)

In His Love, Ld