Journal Entry ~ 04/29/18

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. - 1 John 4:7-8

If it were easy to love, we wouldn’t need this command. We wouldn’t need God’s example or this powerful exhortation to love one another. The world teaches us to love those who love us, but God calls us to love even our enemies. It’s easy to love those who are lovable, but God calls us to display His love to everyone. 

We may live with a difficult spouse, have a challenging family member, work with a rude co-worker - and God calls us to love them all with the love He has given us. John is essentially saying in this passage, “Beloved, if God so loved you, you ought to love that difficult person.”

When we try to do this in our own power, we fail. Our hearts are too selfish to see past our own needs and place another over ourselves. But it is in these difficult situations that God’s amazing love can shine through us if we surrender to Him. When you’re in a situation where it’s difficult to love someone, remember that God so loved you when you were a wretched sinner, that He sent His son into this world to save you. God sent His Son for that unlovable person too.  He doesn’t want His children to fight, in fact, He calls us to peace and unity. When there is conflict, or a lack of forgiveness in our hearts, we are living in opposition to God’s commands. When we fail to love as God loves us, we block His blessings. 

If you are His child, then you must be the channel for His love to flow to those who may not be very lovable. Repent for the lack of love displayed to those in your life, and ask Him to fill you with His love for even those challenging people in your life. 


Press on ~ you are loved 💗

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