A few years ago I was really struggling with some people and how to walk in love towards them. My soul – my emotions, mind and will were in a tousle with my Spirit and God’s way of dealing with the issue.
Part of me wanted to be angry, retaliate, and get even at what I felt was uncalled for treatment. But God was continually speaking to my Spirit saying “Walk in love not hate, in peace and not offence, lest a root of bitterness find a place in your heart.”
There is a high life and a low life, and everyday we have the choice of which one we are going to walk in. The low life comes from a system that hates, and manipulates. It seeks to get revenge and thrives on having the opportunity to give people a “piece of our mind.”
The high life in contrast is filled with holiness, love, joy, and giving. The high life is stronger than the low life, because we can’t overcome evil with evil, but we can only overcome evil with good. We can’t overcome hate with hate, but we can overcome hate with love.
The Bible says we don’t do this on our own. We cannot reproduce the character of Jesus in our own strength, but “As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more.” (2 Corinthians 3:18 NLT)
God’s love in us transforms us into walking, talking, “love machines.” We are created and designed by God to love, and as we draw near to Him we reflect this more and more.
But how do we love when there are other people involved who sometimes hurt or annoy us? Jesus was asked the question, “How often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said, “I do not say to you, up to seen times, but up to seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18:21-22)
What was Jesus saying here? Seventy times seven is meaning that as many times as someone offends us we are to forgive them, and love them with the love that God has deposits on the inside of us. Because once we know God and choose to be in relationship with Him, we have the same love that is in God, in us.
“We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.” (1 John 4:16)
The devil and the world’s system says “get even, get revenge, hate, lie, steal, and become bitter. But God’s way is to stay in love, and it will make us free. Love’s way will keep us free and protected from offence, bitterness, evil, and keep our prayers effective.
Love is a commandment. God loved us when we hated him. He took us in when we were still cursing him. The love of God loves us no matter how we are acting, and the power of God’s type of love will turn around every circumstance, because His love never fails!
If we’ve asked God to be part of our life then we have His type of love on the inside of us. We’ve just got to “work it” out of us, and at times stir it up on the inside of us. As we spend time with Him and in His Word, it increases our faith in the power of love and releases it’s potential to go to work in every situation.
Today know that God says His love never fails. It never runs out, and it never gets tired of us. So choose the high life instead of the low life today, and put love to work.
“Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Love never fails!” (1 Corinthians 13:7-8)
Prayer: Lord thank you that your love in me never fails. Help me to choose the high life, and your way of love today. In Jesus Name Amen.
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