Love is the only debt we should have in our lives. Love is God’s greatest commandment for us. There is nothing in the law code that can be fulfilled without love. It is with love that everything is complete. The reason that God wants us to live in love is because this is where all can be made right. Love is the great equalizer. It is what helps and guides us all to live the fullest lives we could possibly live. Love is what makes a way for patience, kindness, self-control, peace and joy. Without love, none of these things are possible. Love must start from within, which means loving ourselves, and then it can permeate out into the world. It is with God that we can cultivate a true love for ourselves that then translates into how we love others.
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.
Romans 13:8 NIV
God has cleared the way for us with Christ. The love that was shown and given to us through Christ’s death is the love we must demonstrate for each other. He did not seek revenge for all the wrong that was done to Him for no reason. Instead, He laid His life down so that we could all have life. Love is the action of sacrifice. We can first learn love through the sacrifices we make of our own flesh. Knowing what we are worth and giving up or denying our flesh sets the precedent for what love can be in our lives. It is through this action in our own lives that we learn how to better love each other. Giving up things like anger, frustration and greed. Love calls us to sacrifice such things as Christ did for us. When we do this God increases our capacity to do for one another, because our intentions are led by the sacrificial motives of love.
May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.
1 Thessalonians 3:12 NIV
Considerations for your planner:
- Do you love yourself as God loves you? Write down what God’s love for you looks like.
- What emotions can you identify to sacrifice for the sake of love? Write them down and remember them the next time you may be leading with something other than love.
A Story of Sacrificial Love:
It is hard to love those that hurt you, frustrate you and that you plain just don’t understand why they do the things they do. I have watched others self sabotage and been in complete astonishment as to how they could continue to make the same mistakes over and over again.
It has only been through learning God’s love for me that I have been able to see my own love in my anger and frustration. I have found that love is actually at the basis of why I am angry. For those close to me that I have seen self sabotage, I am angry because I know they deserve more than what they are currently choosing.
Through God’s love for me I have learned to not condemn. I have learned to speak less and offer less of my opinion. Instead I pray more and offer words of encouragement. I try to reinforce their worth in God’s eyes, so that they may see how precious they are. I know I cannot change anyone, but I can show them God’s love and I have faith that will transform their hearts.
- Anonymous
Strengthen the Christian Planner Family by sharing your experiences. We'd love to hear a story about God's work in your life. Use the form linked below to submit your story.
