You crown the year with Your goodness, and Your paths drip with abundance. (Psalm 65:11)

There’s an old expression that says hindsight is 2020 – meaning looking back often reveals a more perfect understanding of things that have happened to us. We can’t understand the whys of painful experiences when we are walking through them, but we can trust that God does. His vision and purpose are always faultless. 

Today marks the dawn of a new year and a new decade. While I can’t begin to contemplate what my life will be like ten years from now, I can look back over the past ten in astonishment of the changes in my world. 

Ten years ago, I had just moved to Georgia, in desperate hope for happiness. While this emotion has often eluded me, I can affirm the fact that I am happy today – truly happy. 

That’s not to say that the journey to joy has been smooth – far from it. The past decade has walked me through some of the most painful memories of my lifetime.

Nothing significant is ever accomplished without heartache. As I look back over the past decagon, I can mark the years with the following trials and triumphs:

1. Four career changes;
2. A second divorce;
3. A total rebirth and name change;
4. A mission trip to Nicaragua;
5. Three significant health challenges;
6. Six journeys to Europe with my mother;
7. The acquisition of my Bachelor’s Degree; 
8. The purchase of my home;
9. The death of my best friend; and
10. The start of this blog. 

While the above is an oversimplification of some pretty monumental moments in my life, I can honestly say that God has been with me through every one of these events. The highs and lows that accompanied these turning points have brought me closer to Christ and more confident in my faith than ever before. 

While people, places, and things may change in my life, one thing remains the same – God’s love for me. Christ demonstrated His steadfast pursuit of my heart through every twist and turn of my existence. When people fail, stress consumes, or mistakes level me, one thing remains constant – God will never leave me or betray me. There is confidence in that statement. 

Life is change. I’ve learned to fully celebrate the beauty of each stellar day that God gives me as I know that my whole existence could alter tomorrow. The next breath, the next moment, the next phone call or prognosis could transform my life forever. Tomorrow isn’t promised, nor are we, as Christians, granted immunity from heartache. How well I know that to be true. 

For today, for tomorrow, and for every day of the next decade or next ten seconds that God gives me, I will love, honor, and serve my Savior. I am the clay in His hands, and I surrender all to Him. He has my full submission to do with my life as He sees fit. I can only marvel at the milestones He’s already brought me through and the joy He gives me in the aftermath of my selfish failures. 

As we move forward into the new decade, may we continue to look back with perfect vision at the way God journeys with us. 

I, for one, eagerly anticipate what He has in store for me in the remaining days determined for my life. 

God is making a masterpiece out of me, and I can hardly wait to see how it will all turn out. After all, hindsight and the new year are both 2020. 

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! (Isaiah 26:3)

Yesterday was a gift. No other Christmas presents are required.

For the first time ever, I traveled to visit my family in Colorado a full six days before Christmas. The flights, the travel, the sight of my brother coming to greet me at the train station – all of it was sheer perfection.

This is my seventh year making the trip, and every year is special. I have only been able to do so since leaving my husband in 2012. Previously, he never allowed me to visit here. Controllers don’t easily allow anyone else to influence whomever they’re controlling – especially family. Visits could be made to me, but only under close supervision. Visits without him were strictly prohibited.

Words can hardly express how meaningful our first Christmas together was. I could scarcely contain my joy at seeing my mom’s tree and opening our gifts in each other’s presence. The elation I felt at the annual Christmas Eve candlelight service understandably flooded my heart and spilled out of my eyes. Such precious memories.

This year, I felt as if my trek was escorted by a higher power. Everything worked together like a perfect symphony, orchestrated by the Master’s hand.

Exquisite skies, smooth flights, festooned airports, seamless luggage retrieval, and a joyous reunion – every portion of my trip was sheer perfection.

I challenge you, this holiday season, to add God’s peace to your preparations. Wherever you are and in whatever you do, share His joy with everyone you encounter. Smile more. Grumble less. Keep your thoughts fixed on Christ. Love one another – even as He first loved us.

How often do we get so caught up in the preparations and busyness of the season that we forget the simple pleasures and peace that God longs to fill us with over the holidays? Do we take time to reflect on the magnitude of love that brought a king down to a humble manger for wretched sinners like you and me?

Is it all about the material things, or do we ever stop to remember the jubilance found in family, friends, and nature?

Perfect peace is within your reach. You need only reach out to the Savior to find it.

Let your roots grow down into Him, and let our lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. (Colossians 2:7)

I’m the most thankful person you will ever meet. Appreciation is ingrained in my soul. I take nothing for granted and appreciate life, all the way down to the wrapping paper. I don’t just value the gifts God gives me; I treasure the packaging.

I thank God every day for my home, my health, my job, and all the people that touch my life. I pray for my friends and family as I recount my daily blessings. I pray for each of my former team members laid off in October before I eat dinner at night – asking God to help them find jobs and move forward. Prayer keeps me humble and grateful for everything I have.

I demonstrate that gratitude to co-workers who ask me how I’m doing each day. Instead of my former, “I’m doing great,” I now say, “I’m greatly blessed – every single day.” It takes most people by surprise the first time they hear me say it as they don’t know how to respond. It’s a simple way to put a different perspective on a standard greeting and provides me with the means of sharing my grateful spirit with those I work with. Above all, it makes people think about how blessed we all are.

Some of my associates are more than eager to share what’s wrong with their lives, but not me.

I adopted an attitude of gratitude, years ago, that governs my entire existence – how I talk, act, and perceive my life. It used to be easy for me to see what was wrong, to grumble about what could be better, and to lament the things that hurt or upset me.

Now, I focus my attention on my blessings as I show appreciation to God and others for the great things that comprise my world.

For example, I may experience a long, stressful day at work – but I have a great job with a boss who values me.

I have had tinnitus for over a month now, but I can hear correctly and don’t have any pain in my ears.

I am single, but I am happy and fulfilled in my singleness. If God chooses to change this aspect of my life, I fully trust that He will do so, in His time.

I have delicious food to eat, a cozy bed to sleep in, a plethora of pretty clothes in my closet, and a fun car to drive. How blessed am I? How could I not share my gratitude with others in everything I say and do?

Sure, there are things I could complain about. But why should I? What good would it do? Complaining would only give me a sour attitude that could emanate from me to others in my world. I never want that to happen.

Instead, I choose to live life with an attitude of gratitude – seeking out God’s blessings and celebrating them, every day. Being grateful makes me joyful, and my joyfulness, in turn, blesses others. Happiness is contagious. If my grateful spirit can make even one person content each day, then I’ve accomplished my mission.

It’s simple to demonstrate gratitude. Look past what’s wrong in the world. Search for what’s significant and blessed in your life. Celebrate little victories. Cherish the beauty in the world around you. Smile more. Complain less. Speak kindness. Show compassion. Share words of praise. Capture a spirit of contentment.

You won’t just change your perspective. Adopting an attitude of gratitude will change the lives of everyone around you. Appreciation breeds joy, and joy is contagious. You won’t be able to keep it to yourself.

Once you’ve embraced this perspective, spread it around to everyone and everything you touch. You might just make the world a little brighter if you do!

Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. (Colossians 1:10) 

If you were to be tried as a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? This question has haunted me most of my life. While it’s true that good works do not save us, there should be a notable difference between the way Christians and non-Christians live their respective lives. 

Primarily, love should guide everything that we do as believers: how we talk, act, and think. Love motivates us to be kind to one another. It helps govern our words and actions in a distinct way that separates us from non-believers.  

But what do we do with our love? Do we keep it to ourselves, or only love those who can love us in return? Perish the thought. The way we show love to others provides evidence that our lives have been touched by a heavenly Father who first loved us. When Christ resides in our hearts, His love prompts us to demonstrate that love to others. 

When I left my second abusive husband, I was a woman on a mission with three immediate goals in mind: 

1. Completing my degree; 
2. Changing my name; and  
3. Going on a mission trip. 

I desperately wanted to do something with my life – something impactful and demonstrative to make up for lost time. While I completed these goals in the reverse order, I took steps to fulfill each of them almost immediately. The satisfaction I felt in achieving these accomplishments is hard to quantify – yet I knew I had so much more to do, so many more goals to fulfill. 

I recently met another goal – face-on – serving as a Salvation Army bell-ringer at Christmas-time. Yesterday, I completed my first shift. I dressed warmly, in a festive new dress with Santa-heads on the skirt, a pretty black crinoline underneath, and black leggings. With Christmas music playing on my Pandora app, I connected my power bank to my phone and a BlueTooth speaker – ready for action. 

When I arrived, I learned that the kettle, bell, and apron had not yet been dropped off at the location. While waiting for my kettle, an older man approached me, wanting to donate. “I don’t have my kettle yet,” I informed him, with a laugh. 

“That’s okay,” he said, as he opened his wallet and gave me a dollar. I asked him if I could take our picture to commemorate the first dollar received, and he agreed. “I’m Carlton,” he told me, and the two of us chatted together for the next 35 minutes while waiting for the kettle to arrive. 

We talked about how blessed we both were, and how we both believed God treated us better than we deserved. Had my kettle been ready, I would not have had the opportunity to talk to this amazing man who brightened my day. Incredible how perfect God’s timing is when we least expect it. 

A few minutes after Carlton left, my kettle arrived, and I took another photo to send to the organizer. Carlton drove by, honked his horn, and waved as I put my kettle in place and added his contribution to the container. 

For the next two and a half hours, I danced to music, rang my bell, and wished everyone passing by a “Merry Christmas.” I hugged all the children, with their penny donations, and the elderly contributors who told me how much they loved my skirt. I thanked everyone who donated with a “God bless you,” and another “Merry Christmas.” By the time my shift was over, my kettle and heart were overflowing, in equal measure. 

Isn’t that how God’s love is? The more we give, the more we get in return. 

Ring a bell. Stand up for the weak and defenseless. Donate food to the hungry. Help serve a meal or paint a shelter. Give a hug to someone who is hurting. Listen when people are talking to you. Share the love of Christ from the core of your being down to your fingertips. Be His hands and feet. 

Matthew West’s song, “Do Something” perfectly embodies this sentiment:

I’m so tired of talking about

How we are God’s hands and feet

But it’s easier to say than to be

Live like angels of apathy who tell ourselves

It’s alright, “somebody else will do something”

Well, I don’t know about you

But I’m sick and tired of life with no desire

I don’t want a flame. I want a fire and

I wanna be the one who stands up and says

“I’m gonna do something.” (1)

We all have the power to make a difference by demonstrating simple acts of love to the hurting world around us. The evidence of our Christianity is inside each of us, just waiting to come out. After all, they will know we are Christians by our love!

Reference: 

West, M. (2012). Do Something. [Recorded by Matthew West]. On Into the Light. [Music album]. Warner Chappell Music, Inc., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

“…to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.” (Isaiah 61:3) 

Some of life’s fiercest blows hit us outside the punching ring, apart from the battlefield, and separate from the courtroom. Sometimes, the hardest hits we take are those we face emotionally – disappointment, rejection, fear, heartache. My tender heart still feels the sting of such things, in spite of my best defenses.

As one who loves deeply, I can attest to all the emotions it represents – both the euphoric and the debilitating. Love has given me both a desire to dance in the daytime and mourn in the moonlight.

And that’s okay. While I could stand with a few less earthly sorrows, I have grown through each experience. I’ve learned empathy for those who have lost jobs, been homeless, survived violence, suffered betrayal, endured physical pain, lost a loved one, and rebuilt their lives from scratch.

In God’s mercy, He has walked me through all these challenges to elevate my comprehension of the otherwise incomprehensible heartache of others. I understand anxiety, despondency, and rejection because I’ve been there. I’ve lived these emotions. I’ve felt the sting of pain in more areas of my life than even I’d care to admit.

Nevertheless, I know that if God chooses affliction for me, it will always be for His purpose.

I recently started volunteering in our local women’s shelter, where those fleeing domestic violence situations can safely reside. While I’ve only worked in the “clothes closet,” thus far, I’ve spoken to the coordinator about my desire to do more.

While sorting, hanging, and organizing shoe and clothing donations is valuable, I fervently aspire to speak to the women themselves. I advised the coordinator that I’d like to share my story of victory in overcoming this same type of life. I’ve traveled light-years, after all, since leaving my former spouse – with little more than a duffle bag of clothing.

Unlike these women, I was extremely fortunate – with formidable resources – when I fled. I had a car, a job, money in the bank, a network of allies, and a fierce belief that God was with me. I stayed in a hotel for a while, with points donated from friends, and then at a lovely beach condo, rented by a vendor for his own, frequent in-town business. I even stayed in a corporate apartment for a week, where I’d placed short-term business guests at the consent of the property owners.

When I eventually found my apartment, my first purchase was a futon to sleep on, then a table, chairs, and kitchen equipment from my local thrift shop. I often joked that I lived in the apartment that Goodwill built. I’ll never forget the joy I felt from my ultimate splurge – a real bed. It was like heaven on earth. I still delight in sleeping on it to this day.

While my apartment was sparse for months, I will always savor the liberty and sense of accomplishment I felt with each acquisition for my home. Knowing I could get up in the middle of the night and raid my fridge without judgment was tantamount to winning the Nobel Peace Prize. Each new-found freedom represented a supreme triumph and testament to God’s power and grace over my life.

I hope to imbue that same sense of strength and victory to the women at the shelter. The coordinator is connecting me with the woman who conducts their group sessions, so I can speak to the residents about hope, planning for a better future, and preparing for job interviews. I want to help them practice answering interview questions and instill the confidence they need to move forward and into a brighter tomorrow – without regret or the stigma of failure.

In God’s sight, we are more precious than diamonds. He has promised, “to bestow on [the heartbroken] a crown of beauty instead of ashes.” I look forward to sharing that assurance with every woman I’m privileged to meet. Such a pledge has given me strength and resolve to conquer any challenges that come my way – no matter how formidable they may seem.

Don’t listen to the lies of the devil, beloved. Do not let him overpower you. Wear your crown of beauty as a symbol of His love and victory. You are, after all, more valuable than gold. 

May these words of my mouth and this mediation for my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock, and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:14) 

We make decisions every day – both conscious and unconscious – that determine how our days will go. We choose what to wear, what to eat, and what to say to the people whose lives intersect our own. We all have a choice to be content or to complain, to be friendly or reticent, to work hard, or to muddle through. 

We also have a choice concerning how involved we want to be with God. Most people desire Him only in small doses – as in an hour on Sunday mornings. 

But what about the other 168 hours remaining in a week? Removing 8 hours a day for sleep – which most of us never get – and roughly 10 hours a day for work – including our daily commute and lunch breaks – still leaves 78 hours a week to potentially spend with God. Truthfully, though, when was the last time you gave Him more than 5 minutes of your day? 

But what benefit is there in developing a relationship with God? 

Charles F. Stanley once said, “Our intimacy with God – His highest priority for our lives – determines the impact of our lives.” (1) 

What do we hope to accomplish in life? Do we want to climb the corporate ladder, or earn an increase in pay? Do we want a bigger house, newer car, fancier clothes to wear? Are we hoping for the esteem of our colleagues, or are we improving our education to earn a few more letters on our signature lines? 

While none of these things are ignoble, they will all be forgotten one day. The only thing lasting in life is what we do for and on behalf of Jesus. And faithful service only comes through surrender and intimacy. The more we love God, the more we want to serve Him by serving others. 

To impact our world, we must be intimate with God. Divine intimacy, then, must be something we strive for every day. 

Two years ago, I bought my first Daily Bible. This year, I’m working through my second. Daily, committed Bible reading has been life-changing to me. God speaks to me through HIs Word. His wisdom, His guidance, His love, and provision come shining through the scriptures. I listen to sermons every morning, but reading HIs Word, myself, brings me closer to His side in a more intimate way than anything a minister could ever invoke. 

I also strive to keep His message foremost in my thoughts by listening to contemporary Christian music. These songs – such as what I embed at the bottom of each of my posts – keep me energized, encouraged, and enthusiastic for Christ. The lyrics speak to my heart and resonate in my mind all day long. 

Music, meditation, and ministry embedded into my daily life help keep me focused on His mission. The positivity and love I absorb by placing these three pillars at the forefront of my life help me impact the world around me. My intimate relationship with God helps me better demonstrate love, service, and dedication to others. 

Seek God. Serve others. Sacrifice your will to Christ. If you’re willing to put these three principles into action, you can impact the world around you. Start today, and you’ll see a difference in your brighter tomorrow. 

Reference: 
1. Stanley, C.F. (2014). Life Principle 1: Our Intimacy With God. [Website]. Retrieved from https://www.intouch.org/Read/life-principle-1-our-intimacy-with-god

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLsp5BA-v8M

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 37:18)

I know a thing or two about being brokenhearted, walking away, and starting over. It’s gut-wrenchingly painful, fraught with heartache and fear. Still, there’s strength in doing so and peace that settles in, thereafter. 

How many of us stay in bad relationships because we are afraid of the unknown and inevitable loneliness that follows? I spent years in one bad relationship after another. My experience with “love” has been: 

1. Betrayal and violence
2. Control and demoralization
3. Low prioritization
4. Beautiful words without commitment

But isn’t love much more than that? By Biblical standards, yes. It most definitely is. 

By worldly standards, I’m not so sure. I’d like to think so, but I have yet to find the same. 

For me, love is a verb, not a noun. I love with my words and actions. If you need me for anything, I will be there – in the middle of the night, during the work-day, on weeknights and weekends. I love without expectation of receiving anything back. 

But, one day, I’d like to be truly loved, in return – not just in words, but in action and commitment. 

Am I not worth it? Is anyone? Should there be a reason for someone to love us? 

There wasn’t for God. God gave us His Son, Jesus Christ, even while we were yet sinners (Romans 5:8), when we reject Him (Isaiah 53:3), and even when we are more consumed with ourselves than Him (Isaiah 49:15). What a perfect example of love God is! 

And so, I will continue to love others as Christ loved me. I may do so without ever finding genuine and lasting love, in return, but that’s not going to stop me from showing His love to the world around me. 

After all, we are called to be His hands and feet (Romans 10:15). Who am I to hold back the love He’s given me to show others?

Whether I am to receive it in return is up to God. For now, though: 

“I’m walking away from the trouble

Walking away on the double

Cutting the ties, leaving behind the old life

I’m walking into a brighter light

Finding it all in You this time

I’m crossing the line, fixing my eyes on paradise

I’m walking away.” (1)

For now, I’m walking straight into the arms of Jesus – to the only one who will never let me go.

Reference: 

1. Lowry, J., Mattson, C., Mosley, S. & Ingram, J. (2013). Walking Away [Recorded by Unspoken]. On Unspoken. Centricity Music.

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. (Proverbs 19:21) 

By nature, we all strive to control our existence. Why wouldn’t we? Life feels chaotic when we lose control of the world around us – whether through decisions we’ve made or by random acts that affect our health, wealth, and well-being. We long to control not just our own lives, but oftentimes, the lives of those around us. What we seldom understand is that surrender doesn’t always signify defeat, but more often, great victory. 

As Christians, we’re called to relinquish our inner selves – not just in part, but in full, abject surrender. It’s only through total acquiescence to God that we can grow, improve, and find real happiness.

Over time, this concept has proven itself to me over and over again. 

I tried for years, for example, to obtain employment where I am now. I tendered resume after resume, including countless applications, for any number of positions – interviewing four times over as many years. With each interview, I felt that I had done well, but walked away, praying, “Not my will, but yours, Lord. Show me what I should do.”

Praying such a prayer took a tremendous burden off my shoulders. I gave the end-results to God before knowing what those results would be. I knew then as I do now that God has a purpose for everything, and sometimes, that purpose is to walk us through and keep us in circumstances where we aren’t happy. 

And that’s okay – as long as we’ve surrendered those circumstances to God. 

While waiting for my current position to come along, I stayed in a role that consumed me. I worked 12-hour days – taking work home, each weekend – on a modest salary, in high-stress positions, with little room for anything less than perfect performance. There were times when I felt as if I was a contestant on a never-ending episode of “Jeopardy,” with no acceptable wrong answers. (1) I strived to keep everyone happy at all times with an ever-increasing workload and little gratitude for a job well done. 

In one particular instance, while traveling abroad with responsibilities for my supervisor’s entire schedule – including waking her up, and keeping the never-ending sweet tea brewed and stocked in the refrigerator – I suffered a near melt-down, after a particularly stressful day.

I was exhausted, dismissed from my immediate assignment for not making the tea in time for after-lunch meetings, and left alone at 11:00 pm while waiting for others to meet and discuss the next day’s activities. I had barely eaten, still had homework to complete – as I was finishing my bachelor’s degree at the time – and felt utterly alone in the world. 

After ranting to a team member who finally showed up at the meeting and having her tell me that she didn’t care, I walked through the darkness to my room and made a vow to myself that I would find another job, as soon as possible. Staring up at the stars outside my window that evening, I cried out to God and begged Him to give me strength. 

The next morning, I surrendered my will to Him, again – telling God that I would stay in a dark place if He needed me to remain and be the light. 

And so I stayed. 

What I later came to realize was that there was a purpose in my staying where I was. I committed myself, in spite of the emotional and physical stress, to do whatever God wanted me to do. During that time, I heard countless people tell me how much they appreciated my positivity and encouragement in an environment where little of those traits were exhibited.

Behind the scenes, I prayed for grace, every single day – yet on the outside looking in, my peers and supervisor saw someone who was humble and committed to doing whatever was necessary to take care of others. 

But how could I do so? 

It was only through complete and utter surrender to God’s will that I could be the person that He needed me to be for the people that needed me. It was not by my strength alone that I walked through the fire of damaging relationships and uncaring employers. My entire existence is evidence of God’s grace. I am nothing without Him.

On the day that God granted me my new position with another employer, I could only smile and say, “Not my will but yours, Lord!” My new role pays more, has better benefits, and allowed me to purchase a home of my own. I could have never done so in my old position. 

Nevertheless, the waiting kept me humble and resolutely reliant on His power and provision. I have grown through my deference in ways I could never have, had He immediately resolved my conflicts. Patient humility and dedicated servility have made me who I am today. 

In His time, in full submission, God eventually gave me the desire of my heart and then some. I can now say with complete assurance that God’s plan for me surpassed anything I could have come up with on my own. 

Isn’t that just like God? We can never out-give Him! He always has more in store for us if we willingly surrender everything we have to Him.

Reference: 

1. McCarthy, K. (Director). 2019. Jeopardy [Television Series].

The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love, I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. I will build you up again.” (Jeremiah 31: 3-4)

We all have the opportunity to learn and grow through our experiences. Some of us choose to defy that concept – opting to stay wounded, giving up hope for anything more than heartache.

Others, like myself, choose to allow pain to mold us into stronger, more resilient beings. Nothing is ever wasted with God.

That’s not to say that growth is painless.

The truth is, I’ve not heard a lot of affirming words from people in my life. Past relationships made me feel worthless and rejected rather than loved and accepted. Such history makes it difficult for me to receive compliments to this day. Such frivolities seem like empty words to me, with no substance or veracity.

Nevertheless, God continually reminds me that I am worth more. I look back only to grow, not to rehearse or empower past heartaches.

God makes me formidable; He gives me hope for tomorrow and strength for today. His love restored my soul and “built [me] up again.” I no longer listen to the lies of the devil that told me I didn’t deserve anything more than the destructive relationships I had. I know such assertions are wholly false.

God completed me as He whispered the promise that He will always love me for who I am – flaws and all.

And so I remind you, too, beloved, not to look back. We can’t move forward when we’re always looking in the rear-view mirror.

God will build you up, again, if you’ll only open your heart and soul to HIm. He is, after all, the only one who can ever truly restore you completely.

Most of all, let love guide your life. (Colossians 3:14)

Any number of things can motivate us: pride, hunger, anger, jealousy, greed, power. But what about love? How often do we let love guide our thoughts, words, and actions? 

I’ve always been driven by love. I love my family, friends, home, job, friends, boss, co-workers, my kitties – you name it. I love it. It used to drive my ex crazy. “You love everybody,” he’d say. “It’s ridiculous.” 

In my mind, love is anything but ridiculous. Love is what gives life meaning; it makes us strong; it gives us purpose. As Christians, especially, we are called to love one another. As John 13: 35 says, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.” 

In the past, I let my love for my spouse consume me. I did everything I could to demonstrate love in hopes of receiving an equal portion in return. That never happened. How could it when my motivation was all wrong? I truly believed that if I loved hard enough, I would earn love, back. 

How very wrong I was. 

Love is not something we can earn, nor should it be something that drives us to receive the same. Sure we can work to achieve it, but if we do, that “love” is conditional, not pure. 

Of all the types of love that exist – brotherly, romantic, familial – the greatest love is agape. Agape love is the kind of unselfish love that expects nothing in return. It’s the love that God feels for us; it’s the love that He demonstrated when He gave His Son to die on a cross for our sins. Agape is the kind of love we should exhibit to one another. 

Pastor David Jeremiah explains agape love like this: “When the love of God captures your heart, what you discover is, you’ve got too much for just yourself, and you’ve gotta let it spill over into the lives of others.” (1) I couldn’t agree more. 

Every living thing on earth needs love – plants, animals, people. Yet, few of us ever receive the kind of love that we need to thrive. We, as Christians, have been given supernatural love through Christ Jesus. We are called to love one another. We are called to demonstrate Christ’s love on earth. We are commissioned to be the hands and feet of Christ so that everyone that sees us sees Christ in us. 

Are we living that way? Does love emanate from our pores and latch on to everything we touch? Imagine how much better the world would be if we all demonstrated true love for one another. Imagine how much better our own lives would be if we stopped worrying about whether someone loves us and concentrated on loving them.

Our motivation needs to change. Love needs to be the guiding force in everything we do. 

Listen when people speak to you. Show compassion when others are hurting. Demonstrate radical kindness. Put the needs of others before your own. I’m not saying you should be a doormat. I spent too many years of my life as such and can testify that nothing good can ever come from that. 

I’m saying, learn to practice agape love. Let it guide, motivate, and humble you. I promise your perspective will change. When you practice agape love for others, your heart will be filled to overflowing in return. 

Let the love of Christ fill your soul, then let that love seep into everything you do. You can make a difference in the world by practicing this one simple rule: let love be your guide.  

You may be surprised at how your existence will change as a result. It certainly has mine.

Reference:

Jeremiah, David. (2019) Selfless love. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.davidjeremiah.org/television/weekend?date=2019-11-10