Love One Another

So...I've been having a bit of trouble lately with this command.

I normally get along with basically everyone. But I have this awesome friend who loves the Lord and is growing in her spiritual walk with Him, but - I just don't get along with her. I don't think it's even her fault. In all honesty, it's probably a matter of my pride more than anything else.

That being said - "love one another" is something that keeps coming to my mind. I tell myself I love her in Christ even though my flesh disagrees, but - do I? I know most of the time, even though I can usually put on a show outwardly, inside I really don't love her the way I need to. And if I'm not showing God's love to her, then I'm not following His commands.

So keeping this in mind, I went over to 1st John and I read through it, underlining every time the words "love," "loveth," and "loved" appeared. Today I did the same thing in 2nd and 3rd John. Guess what? In all 3 books (which is only 7 chapters) those 3 little words occurred 49 times. 45 of those were found in 1st John (5 chapters). So love is kind of a central theme.

A phrase that appeared more than once was: "Love one another." But we aren't just commanded to love each other. We have a reason for loving. And that of course is because Christ loved us enough to make the ultimate sacrifice - giving up His sinless life for His sinful creation. I could go on basically all day about how incredible that is, and what a wonderful God we have. And those are both fantastic truths. But what does God's love mean if we don't do anything with it? How can you show the world His amazing love if you're keeping it to yourself? How does it prove how incredible and life-changing that love is if we are only loving those who are easy to love? That's no different from the world. Unsaved people can love those who are easy to love.

Now that I've had these truths brought to mind once more, am I automatically filled with an overwhelming feeling of love for my friend? Well, not really. But it does mean that I have once again been reminded that "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Phil. 4:13), and that love is not just a feeling - it's also a choice. I'm choosing to love my friend in spite of not yet having much of the feeling. Making the choice to follow God's command is the first step - He can supply the feeling aterwards.

So - if you want to show the world what one way that God's love can change people is, you have to love everyone, not just the easy-to-love people. Because loving when it's not easy - that's different love. That's supernatural love.

That's God's love.

It's Okay

I didn't get the job. 

But the funny thing is, I'm really not nearly as upset as I thought I would be. Yeah, I'm disappointed, but I can already see good things coming of me not being accepted. I'm behind in school, but I really want to graduate next year. I can devote more time to studying in the summer without a job. I would have missed my friend's senior piano recital (which I may still miss, but for other reasons...) and the graduation of several of my childhood friends. These are just a few reasons that God has shown me for keeping me here, instead of where I thought He wanted me.

And really, I'm okay with it. 

If I can bring more glory to my God by staying home all summer and not working, so be it. I said in an earlier blog post that I want this to be my year of surrender. I've already been tested several times even though we're still in the first half of 2016, and I guess this is just another test. 

Some wise words from the fabulous Disney movie Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium come to mind: "We must face tomorrow, whatever it may hold, with determination, joy, and bravery." 

I fall. I mess up, more often than I'd like to admit. I don't always trust. But it's okay. God knows we can't be perfect.

That's why God gives grace. I think it's got to be just about the most beautiful gift He has given to His broken creation.