Lately, GOD has been showing me a lot about love-not only about how He loves me, but how I ought to love others. GOD is thrilled over me. He delights in me, and always wants to see me overcome. He desires to spend time with me, and to show me His secrets and to watch me grow. On the other hand, GOD’s love is not forced. He never forces his love on people, nor forces others to love. He loves freely, without any motive to get anything in return. And, I think we ought to love in the same way.
Back in High School, I sometimes felt like I should love people so it would be easier to talk to them about JESUS, or that I should love people to convert them. But that’s not the way of love. That makes love conditional, and brings a lot of stress along with it. It means, that if an atheist is still an atheist after I love them, than my love failed, and friends, love NEVER fails. More and more, I’m learning to love no matter what the outcome. I’m learning to love regardless if my love changes them. I’m learning to love even if my love has no impact on them. I want to love simply because of this: JESUS loves the world, and CHRIST is in me. Therefore, I love the world (or rather, the people in it.)
Love that is forced is no love at all. If one only loves to get someone to think or feel a certain way, is that true love? This is what love is: Patient, kind, and rejoices in the truth. Love is not condemning, but encouraging. Love doesn’t envy, or boast. Love isn’t arrogant, or prideful. And above all, love never fails.
