Today, I feel like leaning into the theme we began yesterday, just a little more.
As we allow ourselves to feel more holy emotion, we also can more aptly let go and just love. Have you ever felt yourself hold back love for someone?
I have.
I have felt love come over me as a tidal wave, and then turned away from it because I was afraid of how it might be perceived.
What is the greatest love? To lay down one’s life for a friend. That’s pretty big, right?
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:12-13
We all desire to be more Christ-like. But do we even know what it means to lay down our life for a friend?
I don’t believe we really do. But I believe we can grow in this. But first, we must allow ourselves to love others, and stop being ashamed or afraid of it.
I know that sometimes I hold back my love for others because I’m afraid they’ll feel overwhelmed by me. That they will misunderstand my heart and could hurt me. That’s a risk I see Jesus taking all the time, don’t you? We can’t be constantly counting the cost…otherwise, we’ll never spend our love.
When one rejects our demonstration of love, they are not necessarily rejecting us. They are rejecting God’s manifestation of love through us. That’s not our offense to carry. Let’s consider what true love looks like by re-reading that old standard verse from Corinthians…
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trust, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
If we walk in this holy type of love, we have nothing to fear. God will keep us as we offer what He’s lavished upon us all. That holy love. Unselfish. Humble. Honoring. Trusting. True love.
365 Days in the Presence 