Corinthians 13: 1-3
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing
Our Father wants us to love one another. Love one day at a time. Love without an agenda and without trying to figure out what it will bring you in the future. Love every day. Love when you stand strong. Love when you feel raw and don’t know if you can go on. Love when you need to be loved. Be a presence on this earth for God.
Loving yourself and others takes pure honesty. You must love people enough to do what is right. If you worry about what others think it gets in the way of loving them. Worry stops you from saying what needs to be said. It stops you from being honest. It stops you from projecting God’s love. Loving others means you make hard choices. You don’t let them off the hook. You hold them accountable.
Love forgives. Love says, no matter what I’m here. Love others in their brokenness. Some days it flows through you freely. Other days you must make a conscious effort to love. When you love don’t think about what you get in return. When you love with the thought of what do I get out of this, you make love conditional. Look at your intent? Is your intent to add to the healing of the world or the pain of the world? Are you looking to get something from someone or give? Don’t love to get a certain reaction. Don’t love to change someone. Love to change yourself. It will soften you. Change yourself and your relationships will change. Work on you.
The enemy wants you to be guarded and bitter. He wants you to build up walls and see others as the problem. He wants you to love conditionally. He wants to take love from the world. If he can get you to question others, to judge and fear others he is able to pull your focus from God and prevent God’s love from working through you. You need God in order to love. The enemy doesn’t want you to recognize your need for God. He wants you to rely on yourself. He wants you to believe you can do this on your own.
You are God’s hands and feet on this earth. God needs you to love not only for Him but for yourself. When you love you allow yourself to be who God sees you as. You grow into the fullness of your being. You operate from your spiritual place. Love with the intention of giving.
Look to Jesus when you don’t know how to love. Focus on Him and rely on Him to show you the way. Love grows in you. It is easier to give the more you pray and rely on your Father. Stay close to Him. Ask Him to open your heart and let love flow through you. Take down the walls. Have an unguarded heart. You are God’s beloved. He loves you for better and for worse. He loves you for who you are and where you are at. God’s love unites. Let God guide your heart.
Prayer
Father God,
Thank you for your loving kindness that is an example of how to love. Thank you for loving me where I am at and gently guiding me. Thank you for helping me to see the humanness in others and to find understanding in my heart for them. Forgive me for the times I am harsh, and I allow hate to overcome my heart. Forgive me for holding on to bitterness and love agendas. It serves no purpose but to divide your people. Lord, I need you! Help me to love as you want me to love. Help me to be patient and kind to others, to not judge their journey and have no expectations for the love I send their way.
In Jesus name,
Amen
Love you sweet gift of God❌⭕️❌