Love is powerful. Love is a choice, not a feeling. It is the attribute of God because God is love. It is a sign that you have the spirit of God living in you.
1 John 3:14 Amplified: 14 We know that we have passed out of death into Life because we love the brothers and sisters. He who does not love remains in [spiritual] death.
God gives us a choice. He does not force Himself on anyone.
Deuteronomy 30:19 New King James Version says, 19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before your Life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore, choose Life, that both you and your descendants may live.
When you choose to love even when it hurts, you choose Life. Unforgiveness and bitterness can consume you. It can cause sickness and disease. Break down the word disease, and you have dis-ease, which means you are not at ease.
In Webster’s dictionary, one of the meanings of ease is free from pain. When you put it together, disease means without freedom of pain. No one wants pain, and everyone needs to be free. There is nothing like a life free from pain. We free ourselves from pain by walking in love.
God draws us to Him through love.
Jeremiah 31:3 says Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore, with loving kindness, I have drawn you.
We should examine ourselves daily to see if we are walking in love. Then, ask God to make you aware when you are not walking in love. Love is a challenge, but it becomes easy to love when you choose to love repeatedly.
What is true love? Ask yourself if you are truly walking in love.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Amplified Version:
- 4 Love endures with patience and serenity.
- Love is kind and thoughtful and is not jealous.
- Love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant.
5 It is not rude; it is not self-seeking; it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not consider a wrong endured. 6 It does not rejoice at injustice but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail]. 7 Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times] and endures all things [without weakening].
Reading that passage in the bible makes you search for yourself. We have all stepped out of love. Thank God for Jesus and the Holy Spirit living on the inside of those who have accepted salvation. The Holy Spirit will alert you when you are out of line. When we repent, we have a merciful God who does not remember the wrong we have done. Praise God!
I like the message version where it says love does not force itself on others.
We cannot make anyone do anything they do not want to do. The only thing we can do is be an example, encourage and pray for one another.
A true example of love is the parable about the prodigal son found in Luke 15, starting at verse 11.
The father had two sons. The father let the youngest son go with his inheritance and gave the eldest son his legacy. The youngest son wasted all his money, living a wild and uncontrolled life. It got so bad that he was down to nothing and begging for food where the hogs eat. Thank God at his lowest moment, he came to his senses, repented, and was ready to accept the consequences of his actions. However, when he was coming down the road, his father spotted his youngest son from afar and was moved with compassion. He welcomed him with open arms, hugged and kissed him. He told his dad he was not worthy of being called his son and was willing to work as a hired servant. Instead of reminding his younger son of what he had done wrong, he gave him a robe, a ring, and shoes and threw a party for him to celebrate. His elder brother was not happy when he heard the music and dancing. He refused to come in. He was angry. He reminded his father that his younger brother spent his money on prostitutes and was unhappy he was throwing a party for him. He told his father I stayed and served while his younger brother was gone living wildlife. His father told his elder son, “everything that I have belongs to you.” The father was rejoicing because his younger son, that was lost was now found. He was dead in the sense of his lifestyle, but he is now alive.
That is how God’s love is for us. Even though we sin and do not deserve His love, He welcomes us with open arms when we come to Him. God’s love is unconditional.
A lot of us have been guilty of behaving like the elder son. You ask God why they are getting blessed when you served God all this time, doing the best you could and staying out of trouble, and it seems you have been overlooked. We, as humans, can look at things from the outside. Man looks outside, but God looks at a person’s heart. The post from June 3, 2018 (you can refer to it), titled “Release the grudge, God is the judge,” expands on this. Look at yourself and ask if you are serving God with the right intentions.
God gave me this phrase early one morning while I was getting dressed. God was dealing with me on forgiveness. Only God knows what goes on in a person’s heart. The only thing we can do is forgive a person, pray, and move on for our well-being. It does not mean we have to hang out with the person; it means we let it go so that we will not stay stuck and so we can heal.
Let us choose to love today. We draw people through love and the Life we live. Actions speak louder than words. We do not need to force our beliefs on anyone; we just live Life. It is the goodness of God that leads a person to repentance.
Love: let it be a choice, not by force!
Prayer: Lord, thank you for your love. It is unconditional. Thank you, God; your arms are open to us, as we are ready to live a life for you. I repent for not displaying love and being judgmental. I draw people to the kingdom of God through love and kindness. In Jesus’ name! Amen