Loving
others is something we all struggle with at some point…these last few months
the Lord has been showing me how little grace and love I extend to
others…particularly to those whom I don’t quite feel like loving…
As
Believers in Christ Jesus, we are called to love others as He first loved us;
this includes those people who are challenging to love as well as those whom we
hold dear to us such as our immediate family…
Whilst
I struggle inwardly against what I know to be true, I fail miserably in the Lord’s
will for my life…I realise that I need to submit to His plan, embrace those He
has brought along my path and pray that His love, mercy and grace would flow
through me…
Love
is not just a feeling…more often than not it is a choice. Oh, such a humbling, painful choice it can
be!
Thoughts
such as, “Why Lord…? Why do I have to love this person? I don’t want to!” run through my mind,
and yet His still small voice rings loud and clear…love.
Love covers a multitude of sins.
Love
is it what makes everything you do worthwhile.
I
have subsequently begun reading only the Old King James Bible, and I was
surprised to read in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 that no mention of love is
made…merely the beautiful, meaningful word, ‘Charity’.
What
does charity mean? I wasn’t sure I wanted
to find out…I was secretly hoping that it perhaps didn’t mention 'love'
anywhere…but here is the definition I found and the true message was quite clear...
Charity: 1. The giving of help such as money or food, to those in need. 2. an organization set up to provide help to those in need. 3. help given to the need; alms. 4. a kindly attitude towards people. 5. love of one's fellow human beings.
I
know I cannot love without God…He IS love, and from Him comes love – the pure,
true, self-sacrificing love that is almost non-existent in our world.
It
is the love that is unselfish and blind.
I don’t possess such a love, but I do know the source of such a love…I
am in search of it; daily crying out to the Lord for Him to give me what I long
for…
Realising
my weaknesses, I also realise my absolute need for Jesus and how trivial my
good works are when love, or rather, charity, is absent.
Such
have been my ponderings of late, and they have drawn me closer to the Lord, and
continue to humble me greatly…I am nothing in my own right, nor do I have the
power to love as He first loved us.
I
am a work in progress, a sinner saved by grace and in awe at Christ’s redeeming
love for me…I am determined to seek Him further, and oh! Why does it hurt so much to be pruned?
The
truth is we require frequent pruning…our hearts need to be purged, and we daily
need to admit our failings and acknowledge how imperfect we are, and how great
the Love of Christ is!
Dear
friends, I write this today not to discourage you…but rather to encourage you,
as I do myself. I write this so that I
may remember when I am
tempted to fall prey to Satan’s lies that I do not need to love anyone that I
don’t wish to…
This
is not what the Bible clearly instructs us to do as Believers in Christ!
True,
it is a daily act of submission, and oh, how disheartening it can be at
times!
But
may we not become weary in doing good, nor may we ever become self-righteous
which we are often apt to do…
Take
heart, be of good courage and love…love with no ulterior motive.
Love
is not about what we will gain from it, it is about being obedient to the Lord
and becoming the beautiful work of art He intended us to be...
..."But the greatest of these is love..." ~ Corinthians 13:13
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I
end with ever so much love in Jesus!
Have a blessed week, dear readers!
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Oh, and before I forget...my little ''love'' giveaway is still open to all readers across the globe...if this is your first time visiting Beautiful Girlhood, please don't let that hinder you...the more the merrier, and you are most welcome here! I happily invite you to stop by this post to join in the giveaway delights, sweet friends...{{smiles}}
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Painting by: Frederick Morgan
