When my oldest daughter was younger she had a sign in her room that said, “Hate is easy but love takes courage.” We made that sign together because it was something important that I wanted to impart to her daily. Love is never easy and takes commitment and courage to see it through. There is nothing more important in life than learning to love. Love is more than words and feelings. In fact, love should be the driving force behind everything we do through actions. In 1 John 3:18 it says, “ Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and truth.” So often people think that love is the equivalent of Valentine’s Day where sweet words make the difference. Don’t get me wrong, who doesn’t like to hear, “I love you.” It is soothing to the ears but proving that is entirely different.
I’ve experienced relationships where the so called “love” was just mere words. God requires His truth to help empower our love towards others. We are commanded to love one another. For example, when relationships experience turmoil and forgiveness is required, it will take the choice to love that person to save the relationship. God’s truth should be the deciding factor, not how we feel. However, most people won’t choose God’s truth and instead choose their pain and emotions. Unfortunately, this is the make it and breaks it for all relationships.
Do we have people in our lives that truly love with words or actions based off of God’s truth? More importantly, are we one of those people? I’ll be honest with you that before I knew God and cherished His Word, I was not one of those people who loved easily. In fact, I found it much easier to walk away from those tough love moments because it was easier for me. Notice I was focused on me and not the other person or more so God’s command to love! Right there, I failed in love because love requires thinking of the other person first. But God’s grace is sufficient and I have slowly learned to honor and obey God’s words over my feelings. I am learning to perfect love in my life. As you act on God’s Word, the love of God is perfected in you more and more. That’s when love begins to flow from you to others. I didn’t always know where the relationship might end up but faith requires love (Galatians 5:6). Anything is impossible when a believer steps outside of love and refuses to forgive, or is strife with his brother.
Have you always chosen to be courageous and love at all costs according to God’s truth? If not, what can you do today to become a person that loves courageously and obediently? Sometimes it may seem impossible to love completely but God has created you for this very purpose and with things, all things are possible!
Great post, Kimchi! A good reminder that love is also a choice.
ReplyDeleteI am one of those people that loves everyone and forgives easily. In fact, many people who know me well would probably say too easily. But I've always felt that if I cut people off, I may miss an opportunity for God to work through me (or a situation)--even with the tough relationships.
Thanks, Ralene! If only more of us could be that way!:) However, I guess that is why we do need God at times because He is the one that can make those times and decisions possible. Have a great Monday in Hawaii!!
ReplyDeleteSo very true! I myself, like most of us, have had to forgive and chose love instead of strife. As a Christian my heart us for my Lord, but as a human I like all of us struggle. As a pastor's child and leader within the church the hardest forgiveness and love test has been forgiving those within the church. I have learned though that when other hurt us it is often because they have brokeness in their own lives (as ALL of us do). When we consider that these people are still children of God and still a work in progress it does make it easier. I have found in many situations that in my strength alone I can not forgive, it truly takes the love of Christ to forgive. We love because he first loved us. We choose to walk in forgiveness because we first needed to be forgiven.
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