Journal Entry ~ 05/01/18

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

God loves us unconditionally. There is nothing we can do to earn His love, and we certainly don’t deserve it. We cannot make Him love us more through our good deeds or service, and we cannot make Him love us less by turning our back on Him or committing sins. His love is deep and far and wide. It is never-ending. No matter what we do or say, He loves us exactly the same. 

Our love for others is conditional. When people don’t meet our expectations, when they don’t behave in a manner we consider to be loving, when they hurt us or don’t protect us, when they speak to us in anger or they gossip to others about us, when they don’t seem to care about our pain, when they put their own needs before ours, we withhold our love. Sometimes we launch an angry attack back, throwing nasty and hurtful words at them. Sometimes we give them the silent treatment, refusing to show them any love at all. Sometimes we cut them off from our lives entirely, removing any hope of restoration. Our love is conditional on the other person meeting our expectations. 

I've learned that as I spend time in His presence, and I open my heart to Him, I am able to receive more and more of His love. As I receive more of His love, I am able to give more love unconditionally. I still get hurt and lash out or retreat, but as He gives me eyes to see His perspective and a heart to love as He does, I am much quicker to forgive and repent for my failure to love as He does. My heart wants to give my love unconditionally, but I know the only way to do that is to allow His love to fill me. 


Press on ~ you are loved 💗

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

My Journey Begins...

Medical Update ~ 09/27/17

Grace in Marriage