Her face radiated joy as she spoke about the change that came over her when she accepted Christ as her Savior. She said, “Before that, I was a mess. I knew I loved my daughter and those around me, but I had no idea how to express that love. As a result, my marriage broke up, and I almost lost my daughter as well.” Thankfully, Judy (not her real name) is learning how to give and receive love.
The Bible has a lot to say about love. In fact, some call it God’s love letter to us. When you read the Bible, you see how much God love us. He loves us so much that He sacrificed His only Son to redeem us back to Him. And He teaches us how we are to love. In John 13:34, Jesus states, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” He continues, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (13:35)
There are many more verses in the Bible concerning love. One of the best known – 1 Corinthians 13 – forms part of some wedding vows and is usually referred to as the Love Chapter. In verse 4 it says, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” Look at how many qualities it covers in just one sentence. If we observe and try to live out those qualities in our daily lives, think how much happier we would be.
As Judy spoke about learning to love, she shared about her bout with depression. By not walking in love, we can become impatient, unkind, envious, boastful and proud – factors that contribute to us making bad decisions that can eventually lead to ill health. Have you noticed how angry some people are? They are obviously not walking in love.
As you move along your pathway to health and wholeness, examine your love life. Oh, I’m not talking about romance. I’m talking about what’s in your heart. Is it full of love for your fellow man? Or is it full of pride, envy and all the negative qualities mentioned above? We may not be aware that we are carrying around these things, but if we ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what we need to get rid of, He will reveal them and He will cleanse us of them. Try it. God bless.
