Love Study

I really feel like writing something right now. Maybe it's just to pass the time, but I believe that another part is because, as a writer, I'm itching to write something. Anything. A piece that will inspire, create hope, give courage...things that will encourage people. Currently, however, I am totally blank to writing some thing that will do such acts.

Maybe I could write about my surroundings. I've always loved observing people. For when it comes to observing them, you can really get a sense of what they're like - especially since they don't know that you are watching. For when a person knows you're watching them, they tend to act differently, trying to impress or whatever, simply because another being is watching. I know this to be true because of my own observations, and I have done so myself in the past. However, I am learning that it does not matter what man thinks, but what ultimately matters is what God thinks.

This has been hard for me to learn at times. As humans, we are so eager to please others...especially the ones we like or care about. But one day we will have to come to the point and accept the fact that we are going to be asked to do things by God that may offend our friends or acquaintances...thus destroying the relationship. Not by our choice, but by the reaction of the other party involved. Yes, it will hurt. Yes, we will grieve for that lost relationship. But we should be satisfied with the fact that we did what our Father asked us, and that which we did was part of His plan for us, and some good will come out of it.

One thing that I have had to ask God to help me with is to love others. More specifically, the unlovable, and those I find I don't really want to love (in the flesh that is). But God has been showing me that it does NOT matter how I feel, but He will give me strength if I simply ask for it. Besides, as professed followers of Christ, we should follow His commandments, and He very clearly orders us to love others. No excuses.

Look at what our Father tells us in His word:

"'You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD.'" - Leviticus 19:18

"'But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.'" - Matthew 5:44

"'Honor you father and your mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"
- Matthew 19:19

"'And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.'"
- Mark 12:30, 31

"'But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.'" - Luke 6:27

"'But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.'" - Luke 6:35

"'A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.'"
- John 13:34, 35

"'This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.'" - John 15:12

"'These things I command you, that you love one another.'" - John 15:17

"But, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head - Christ - from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love." - Ephesians 4:15, 16

"And walk in love, as Christ also has love us and given Himself for us..." - Ephesians 5:2

"Let brotherly love continue." - Hebrews 13:1

"And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God, must love his brother also." - 1 John 4:21

The point where I am at in my life right now, this is hard for me to do. Specifically with my sister and a guy friend that I had to recently take care of. Also with people involved in the youth group I was attending. I find that when I have to focus on my own life (when it comes to dealing with guys or anything that isn't spiritual) I lose my focus on God. This is why I am always constantly (first and foremost) focusing on God, and then on my fellow brothers and sisters - to encourage them in their relationship with God. I will focus on my life in order to take care of things that I know I need work on (i.e. patience, frustration, etc.). But if I take one moment to focus on something that isn't spiritual, then I lose my focus on God. And this is what happened to me recently.

I realized last night when I was reading in Romans that I just need to give everything up to God, and get back to the point where I was before I had to deal with people. And I definitely need His help...but I know I can do it. In my past I have denied Christ a lot...then always came back to Him. But I refuse to do that anymore. I am at the point in my life where my love for Him is real and I don't ever want to go back to the low points that I have been at before. I know that if it weren't for God, I wouldn't be here alive today, as a few months ago I was very, very close to slitting my own throat. And I give the credit to my relationship with God, that if I wouldn't have had Him, I wouldn't be here.

And so here I am. A Christian who, like all others, has my own faults. But the difference is, is that I'm going to - with God's help - strive for perfection. I refuse to go back to where I was in the past. I refuse to follow the crowd. I refuse to care more about others' opinions than God's opinion; for what He thinks is what will ultimately matter. I refuse to let my fellow brothers and sisters continue doing things that are wrong according to God's word. I will tell them, out of love, that they need to change; and I will be there as support for them. I will always strive to be an example of Christ. I will hold others accountable if they are willing to do the same for me. I will love others, not because I feel like it (for that will not always be the case), but because it's what our Father commands us to do.

I hope this has been encouraging for some of you. Stay strong.