“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God” (1 John 4:7).
If you’re born again, the love of God has been shed abroad in your heart by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). That means you have the inherent capacity to love as God does. But the fact that this love is in your heart doesn’t mean it’ll automatically flow out to everyone. I’ve heard people say, “I prayed to God to help me love so-and-so but I just can’t.” Well, that’s putting your own responsibility on the Lord and it won’t work that way. You have to make the choice to walk in love, for love is a choice—you choose to love!
God’s not the one to make you love someone; He’s already put His love in your spirit and now it’s up to you to let it out. I’ve often said that I’ve never met someone I didn’t like and some folks wonder how this is possible. I chose to be that way. Through the Word of God, I decided to relate with people from God’s perspective. I see people the way God see them, and that’s the right way to live. When you imbibe this mindset, you’d respond to people based on the love of the Father.
This simple but powerful thought could change your life forever. It’s the solution to the many broken marriages, friendships and relationships, where each party feels they can’t love the other anymore. I would to God they’d learn to walk in love! Choose to love! Even when others rebuff as you try to reach out to them in love, refuse to be discouraged. Love is the greatest power in the universe, and eventually it will melt the hardest heart.
Prayer
Dear Father, thank you for loving me, and depositing your love in my heart by the Holy Spirit. Now, I have the ability to love like you, and I make a deliberate choice to let that love radiate through me to others, irrespective of how difficult or unfriendly they may be, for I’m the love-child of a love-God! I act like my Father in all things and in every situation, in the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Further Study
Romans 5:5
Matthew 5:44
(Taken by permission from Christ Embassy Church , aka Believer’s LoveWorld Ministries , Lagos, Nigeria. www.ChristEmbassy.org )
