AGAPE

“above all keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.” 1 peter 4:8

the word earnestly in this verse can be interchanged with ‘intently’ or ‘fervently’, which means eagerly and passionately. we are suppose to love others in this very way. 

a clean slate. 

we all could use a clean slate, a do over, all of our spots washed away. good news, jesus did that for us, on the cross. he died for us to be made clean, a new creation. that is the best news i’ve ever believed to be true, i want everyone to know what jesus has done for us. part of me wanting every single person to know this good news, is to live a live full of actions that are christ centered, and pleasing to him. which is hard. i’m learning. i’m not the best, but i’m learning. i know that god has called us to love others just as he loves us. unconditionally, undeservedly, and never ending. 

this kind of love is based on actions, not words. agape love is selfless love. what i’ve come to learn lately is that you have to pour out grace on people and forgive in order to truly love selflessly. not everyone will accept it, that’s not the point. we must learn to humble ourselves, set our pride aside, and wipe the slate clean with people that we have ill feelings towards. that means, forgive them whole heartedly, for everything they have ever done to wrong you. forgive them for the past, and forgive them as you move forward in the future. wiping the slate clean means that you no longer bring up that thing they did 2 months ago to make you mad, or that one time they left you out last summer, the slate is clean. pure. white. 

to walk in christ’s foot steps, in my humble opinion, is to love people the way he loves us. this means, share the good news with them, love them through the muck of life, forgive them and continuously wipe the slate clean, and encourage them, build them up. 

it’s definitely the hardest lesson that i’m still continuing to learn. 

THE 'L' WORD

source: 31.media.tumblr.com

growing up society has taught us that love is something based out of emotion and actions. often love is based out of lust for a person or strong emotional connections formed from a moment. we are told that when we love someone it comes naturally and that it’s fate. the world says that loving someone is enough and that it’s what binds you to a person. 

i just can’t buy into that definition of love because i see the perfect demonstration of true love everyday by Christ. the world says love first then your actions will follow and you’ll choose that person. God says, I chose you therefore I love you and I will continue to love you. He displays a love that is unconditional, full of grace, full of truth, full of protection. i think that kind of love is hard. but it’s the love that is deeper than lust, it’s deeper than a moment. it’s the kind of love that says I will choose you every day of my life, and since i choose you, i will love you with grace, unconditional love, truth, and protection. i will do my humanly best to walk with you in life even when you’re not lovable, even when you are acting out of your flesh, even when i may not feel loving emotions towards you. that’s the world’s definition creeping back in. 

when you marry someone you are choosing them forever. people aren’t perfect. people’s emotions change daily, that’s why you don’t love out your emotions. you love out of you actions. pray for a heart that loves someone out of christ’s exhibit of love, that your mind and your heart will no longer act out of the world’s definition.

 if you’re struggling in a committed relationship with love, pray that God restores you with a sense of urgency to choose that person and passionately demonstrate christ’s love to them. pray that you’re spouse/fiancé’s heart is also changed radically and open to your new found definition of love and that they too have the urgency to love you the way christ loves them.